CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (CMC):

Chris Gayle continues to gripe about the way inter-national cricket has been intruding into his life.

Last week, Gayle stunned the world when he wished out loud that Test matches would no longer take place and indicated that he did not have long-term plans to be West Indies captain.

The left-handed opener, however, has continued to catch the headlines with comments that the volume of international matches - which are regulated through an agreement between the sport's world governing body and international players' association - is starting to get to him.

"It has been a lot of cricket," Gayle told reporters.

"It boils down to the mental side of things, not the physical - and it has been non-stop for us and is jam-packed for the rest of the year as well."

West Indies play three one-day internationals on their current tour of England, starting tomorrow at Headingley.

This will be followed by the ICC World Twenty20 in England in June before they return to the Caribbean for four ODIs against India and a series of two Tests, three ODIs and a Twenty20 International against Bangladesh.

West Indies will also be one of the eight teams taking part in this September's ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa, before a tour of Australia.

"You have to look after yourself and the mental part is key," said Gayle as he mused over the amount of cricket facing him and his teammates for the rest of the year.

"There's no two ways about it. At some stage, you will find you lapse a bit and you have to be aware of that."

But Gayle again gave the reassurance that he had no plans of immediately giving up the post of captain.

"I'm definitely enjoying the captaincy," said Gayle. "It's done a lot for me as an individual and I am grateful for that. I'm happy to lead the West Indies team - whenever, wherever."