Melbourne, (IANS) Australian side Melbourne Renegades have added two of the West Indies cricket team’s popular stars Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo to their squad for next season’s T20 Big Bash League (BBL).
Both international signings are on one-year deals and will be available for the entirety of the 2015 BBL season five with the West Indies due to tour Australia next summer.
Bravo featured in only four matches for the Renegades in the last edition before being replaced by Bangladesh allrounder Shakib-al-Hasan, reports cricket.com.au on Friday.
In a statement released by the Renegades, Gayle said: “It’s exciting to be coming to the Melbourne Renegades in the sporting capital of Australia. I’m looking forward to seeing the fans, getting to know the city a little more and helping the team into the finals in BBL.”
“The club has put together a really solid list of players and with a new coach, we’re looking at a big summer at Etihad Stadium,” the statement added.
Gayle’s arrival pairs him with Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch for the Renegades.
Finch said he was delighted to have Gayle as his opening partner for BBL.
“It’s huge to sign Chris Gayle, he’s someone who has dominated this format over a long period of time. Along with AB (de Villiers), there is not many of them in the same bracket. He’s the world’s best I think,” Finch told cricket.com.au on Friday.
“He dominates a game, he can win a game by himself in very limited time. To have signed someone like him to open the batting with is going to be a huge bonus for the Renegades but also the fans who are going to get to see cricket’s biggest hitter at Etihad stadium,” he added.