Melbourne: Chris Gayle is hopeful of returning to Test cricket next year, but said he was simply not fit enough to take part in the ongoing series against Australia.

The explosive opener arrived in Australia to play in the domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League a few days after the struggling West Indies team were beaten by an innings and 212 runs in the first Test in Hobart.

Gayle, who scored the last of his 7,214 Test runs for West Indies against Bangladesh in September 2014, said his recent back injury meant it was too early for him to be playing the longest form of the game. "There's no way I could have actually been part of that Test team. I'm just coming back from injury," the 36-year-old, who made his comeback from injury in Bangladesh's Twenty20 league, said. "I haven't retired from the game. Next year, hopefully, Test cricket is on the agenda. I hope to return next year.

"I haven't batted for such a long time. I scored 92 in a game and the next day felt like I'd been hit by a bus," he added.