AFTER seeing the West Indies’ struggles over the years, West Indies and Jamaican batting legend Chris Gayle believes the team will continue to struggle if proper strategies are not implemented.

Pressure on the Caribbean side has intensified over the past few months following weak performances against Australia which saw them winless in their Test and Twenty20 (T20) series.

The Windies, who lost the first of two Tests away to India on Saturday, last week also became the first member nation to lose to Nepal in a T20 series.

The region’s governing body, Cricket West Indies (CWI), held an emergency meeting in August which featured legends and former captains Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd, after witnessing the team’s embarrassing 27 all out against the Aussies in the third Test at Sabina Park in July.

Double T20 World Cup winner Gayle, who last played for West Indies in 2021 after nearly 500 appearances across all formats, says the teams’ issues aren’t surprising due to a lack of foresight and execution.

“Most of the countries will struggle if they don’t have the infrastructure right. We didn’t have that — we didn’t look after players properly and they allowed some players to leave too early as well,” he told Indian journalist Shubhankar Mishra.

“If you look at it, India’s [infrastructure] is good, England’s infrastructure is good, Australia infrastructure is good. So you got to look at the development, the grass roots of the cricket where it all is going to start from. In the Caribbean, we don’t have no infrastructure. There’s no infrastructure, there’s nothing. We don’t have nothing, nothing, nothing.”

When asked if there are still issues with CWI, Gayle said, “There’s always going to be issues but that’s like drinking a glass of water.”

However Gayle, who has scored over 19,000 international runs across all formats — including his famous Test knock of 333 away to Sri Lanka in 2010 — says he’s still committed to supporting the Windies, despite their current state.

“I still have that urge and that passion for West Indies cricket. It doesn’t matter what’s happening with them right now; I still got an urge for West Indies cricket and I’m always passionate about them,” he said.

“So when West Indies lose, I lose as well. If West Indies get bowled out for 27, I’m part of that as well. I’m always going to be that West Indian guy out there, it doesn’t matter what. If we lose, when we win, we win together.”

Following August’s emergency meeting, Lara urged CWI to utilise Gayle and other former players Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard to help with their current crisis.

Last week, CWI announced that they will be implementing “immediate and long-term reforms” to improve West Indies cricket. Though Gayle wasn’t mentioned, one of the actions set to be taken is, “a structured mentorship framework connecting current and former West Indies players with emerging talent”.

GAYLE… we didn’t look after players properly and they allowed some players to leave too early as well

Australia’s players celebrate the dismissal of West Indies batsman Shai Hope (left) during the third day of the day/night Test at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 14, 2025. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)