Chris Woakes returns to the England team for the third one-day international against West Indies on Monday saying that they have been working on plans to get danger man Chris Gayle out early.

“Dot balls are great but at the same time we want to be getting him out,” said the all-rounder, who was rested from the second game in Barbados as he manages a knee problem. “We’re looking at a few different plans. Maybe we can try and get him a bit earlier because obviously when he gets in, he’s destructive.”

A Gayle innings can resemble an act of brinkmanship. He has begun both ODIs this series more universe block than universe boss, starting his innings with meticulous care. Each ball Gayle faces while remaining in this mode raises the stakes of him failing, because of all the dot balls he has allowed. He calculates, essentially, that he is so good it is worth the wait.

This is a game of high stakes. Gayle creates pressure for himself which he can only relieve through brutal hitting. If he is dismissed while still stuck in first gear – as he would have been for nine off 33 balls had Jason Roy not spilt a chance during his 135 in the first game of the series – the effect of Gayle’s innings can be worse for his side than if he had got out first ball.