EVEN if not completely recovered from the torn hamstring he sustained on the first day of the first Test three weeks ago, Chris Gayle is likely to play in the third Test against South Africa, starting in Cape Town on Friday.
Captain Brian Lara said that while he was unwilling to go into the match with someone who is only 90 to 95 per cent fit "maybe Chris can get away with it as a batter, fielding at slip".
According to Lara, Gayle and swing bowler Corey Collymore, whose similar hamstring injury kept him out of the second Test, are "coming along very well".
"There are still three days left to the Test and we'd love to be able to select from all 16 players (come) January 2," he added.
It is not a facility the West Indies have had at any time during a tour bedevilled by injuries that sent three players - fast bowler Jerome Taylor, batsman Marlon Samuels and off-spinner Omari Banks - home even before the first Test.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the latest casualty when he strained a thigh muscle on the second day of the second Test and was unable to field for most of South Africa's long innings.
He used Daren Ganga as his runner batting in the second innings but showed no obvious discomfort in compiling his brilliant 109.
"Shiv's got a micro tear (in his thigh) but he's looking forward to getting himself fully fit by Friday," Lara said. "His injury is more recent than the others so we'll see how he goes."
Gayle's only participation in the series so far has been two brief innings in the first Test, batting in the lower order and using a runner.
His injury has taken longer to heal than the two weeks initially hoped for and he has had to gradually ease back into practice.
His absence, as established left-handed opener, slip fielder and, equally, for what Lara termed his "tight off-spin bowling" has been more disruptive that could have been imagined.
Daren Ganga has been moved up from No.3 to open with Wavell Hinds.
Samuels, a batsman with 19 Tests to his name who would have come in to the middle order, was eliminated from the tour on arrival in South Africa because of his recurrring knee problem,
The selectors sent Dwayne Smith, the 20-year-old Barbadian with limited experience, as Samuels' replacement but he was then overlooked as Carlton Baugh was converted from reserve wicket-keeper to Test middle-order batsman in the second Test eleven.
Gayle's steady bowling has been missed almost as much as his batting in an attack that has gone for almost four runs an over in South Africa's two first innings totals of 561 and 653 for nine declared.
Lara described Gayle, Chanderpaul and Collymore as "three very key players in our Test team". It is unlikely all would be risked with Collymore, as a fast bowler, probably sitting out once more.
Although Lara said his prediction that there would be no repeat of the 1998-99 whitewash was unconditional, the return of Gayle and Chanderpaul is critical to its eventual accuracy.