DUBAI, UAE (CMC): Superstar opener Chris Gayle is on the verge of dropping out of the top ten of the ICC Twenty20 world batting rankings.
The 36-year-old left-hander lost one place in the most recent rankings released yesterday and now sits tenth behind World number one, Indian Virat Kohli.
Gayle helped West Indies lift their second Twenty20 World Cup title in India last April, but has not played a single T20 International since.
He was picked up for the double-header against India in Fort Lauderdale last month, but sat out the opening game with injury. The second game was rained out.
The Jamaican has since indicated his unavailability for the upcoming three-match series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates starting later this month.
Gayle is widely considered the most destructive batsman in the game’s shortest format and underlined his pedigree slammed his second T20I hundred against England during the T20 World Cup.
However, in three other innings during the tournament, he managed only 13 runs.
There is no other West Indies batsman in the top 20, with Marlon Samuels ranked 21st, Johnson Charles lying 23rd, and Lendl Simmons, 33rd.
The biggest mover was Australian Glenn Maxwell, who leapt 16 places to number three.
Meanwhile, the bowling rankings continued to be topped by West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree, with teammate off-spinner Sunil Narine installed at number seven.
No other West Indies bowler is located in the top 30 with veteran all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo, in at 32nd.