Chris Gayle has refused to back down on his claims that he would not miss Test cricket if it died and did not want the West Indies captaincy.

Gayle is still expected to be skipper in the Second Test against England but it could be his last Test in charge after he also indicated that it would not be long before he quit the five-day game for good.

The opener has already been attacked by West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte and now faces being sacked after the two-match series with England that continues at the Riverside, Durham, tomorrow.

Hunte said: “This is bound to have an effect on the whole spirit of the team. It is an unfortunate development.”

Gayle claimed he was misquoted in the interview with today's Guardian, in which he said that he “wouldn't be so sad” if Test cricket ceased to exist, but he chose not to express regret at the timing of his comments.

“What I said was misinterpreted,” Gayle said. “The other guys know where we are. It won't affect us. We are all big men, and we want to turn in a big performance.

“Test cricket is always going to be there, but I don't see myself playing Test cricket for any long period of time. Twenty20 has made a huge impact on the world. It is brilliant, and it has taken the place by storm.

“I do not think Test cricket is a long-term thing for me. I have enjoyed it, but this is my gut feeling at this time.

“Twenty20 is big but it is not for me to decide whether it will overthrow Test cricket. My gut feeling is that Test cricket will always be there.”

While he insisted he bore “no hard feelings” towards Andrew Strauss, Gayle suggested that the England skipper's criticism of him before last week's Lord's Test was an attempt to take the pressure away from England ahead of this summer's Ashes.

Strauss said he would not allow one of his players to turn up only 48 hours before a Test match, as Gayle did last week after spending extra time in the Indian Premier League.

Gayle retorted by telling his opposite number to mind his own business, claiming: “Strauss should focus on his team, don't worry about West Indies, don't worry about me. Tell him don't sleep with Chris on his mind, tell him get Chris off his mind.”

On the future of Test cricket, Gayle added in the newspaper interview: “I wouldn't be so sad. Some other players would be. Maybe Andrew Strauss would be sad.

“Maybe he will be sad if Test cricket dies and Twenty20 comes in, because there is no way he can make the change. So tough luck.

“I have liked Twenty20 since it came in. I like it. Who doesn't? Maybe a couple of the Englishmen wouldn't like to play Twenty20.”

The 29-year-old today played down suggestions of any possible frostiness between the two men at the toss tomorrow but he could not resist another dig at his rival. He said: “Maybe the Ashes is a bit huge. Maybe he is trying to put a bit of pressure on me and ease a bit of pressure on himself.

“But I respect Andrew Strauss. I will be shaking his hand tomorrow morning and we will have a laugh and a chat about it.”

Earlier, Strauss had called on world cricket's top stars to make sure the five-day game survives.

Strauss was not chosen by England for next month's World Twenty20 and accepts Gayle's jibe that he has a vested interest in preserving Test cricket as it is Strauss's strongest suit.

Yet the opening batsman is clearly worried about Test cricket's future. He said: “If Test cricket is going to survive, it is important that the players want it to survive.

“If we don't want it to survive, it's going to be a struggle. You just hope that enough players still value the format highly enough. I still believe Test cricket is the highest form of the game.

“Chris's views on Test cricket and the future of that are his own opinion and I don't get drawn into that. The last thing I want to concentrate on is what is happening with the West Indies squad.”