Samuels replaces de Kock in Delhi squad

Provocative West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has earnt a late call-up to the Indian Premier League, replacing South African Quinton de Kock in the Delhi Daredevils squad for the remainder of the tournament.

Samuels, who represented the now defunct Pune Warriors in 2012 and 2013, returns to the IPL for a third stint after being overlooked in February's auction.

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De Kock was ruled out ahead of the 10th edition of the IPL with a finger injury he acquired during the New Zealand tour last month.

Samuels, whose player-of-the-match final performance helped the Windies to last year's World T20 title, was controversially axed from their one-day international squad to face England last month.

He is also on a self-imposed break from Test cricket and isn't playing in the three-match series against Pakistan in the Caribbean.

"Well, last year I said I am going to give Test cricket a break, so I am still on a break," the 36-year-old told the Jamaica Observer last week.

"I don't know when I am going to come off that break, but I am on a break."

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Having played for the Windies more than 300 times across all formats, the Jamaican batsman expressed his frustration in February over having to choose between lucrative T20 stints and playing international cricket.

The West Indies Cricket Board requires players to make themselves available for the entirety of their regional competitions in order to be considered for the national side in that form of the game.

"I'm not 20," Samuels told SportMax Zone. "You're still telling me to miss out on everything. Why can't you compromise?" 

"The rule they have doesn't make any sense. You have to compromise.

"The money is not the issue at the moment, I've been playing international cricket (for close to) 17 years so have set myself the right way.

"This is about principle, about being loyal. I've been a loyal soldier for West Indies cricket and continue to play. 

"I showed some loyalty, so I expect a bit of loyalty."

Fellow Windies batsman Darren Bravo, one of the Test side's leading lights in recent years, was also left out of the squad to play Pakistan amid an ongoing legal battle between him and the WICB.

The Delhi Daredevils are currently languishing at the bottom of the IPL table with just two wins from six matches.