MIAMI, March 6: Jamaican Chris Gayle has been appointed captain of the West Indies for the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said on Wednesday.

The hard-hitting opening batsman stood in for injured captain Ramnaresh Sarwan during a triumphant one-day series against England and then skippered the team to their first Test win in South Africa.

Gayle was injured during the South Africa tour and had to return home leaving Dwayne Bravo as stand-in skipper.

With Sarwan having recovered from his ankle injury and expected to be back in the squad for the two Tests against the Sri Lankans, the WICB had a tricky choice to make.

The board handed Guyanese Sarwan the reigns of the team following the retirement of Brian Lara after the World Cup but a shoulder injury cut short his tour of England.

The first Test against Sri Lanka will be played in Guyana from March 22 to 26 and after the second Test in Trinidad in April, the teams will play three One-day Internationals.

Australia then visit the Caribbean in May for a three-Test series, five one-dayers and a Twenty20.—Reuters