"To be honest, I am very disappointed coming out on the losing side, but the guys really fought well. You have to give them credit for that," Gayle said.

"The conditions were mainly suited for the Sri Lankans, but having said that, there were a few positives to take out of this game. The guys really fought well."

Set 437 to win, West Indies – resuming the final day on 96 for one – were dismissed for 315 at 4:44 p.m. with 6.4 overs remaining.

The resistance came through half-centuries from Gayle (51 not out), vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (72) and makeshift opener Dwayne Bravo (83).

Bravo was opening the batting for the first time in a Test match and Gayle gave the background behind the move.

"While Bravo was bowling, I went up to him and said jokingly, 'Bravo, do you want to open the batting?' and he said 'yes it would be better for me . . . coming in and facing the spinners just like that would be difficult'. I decided to exchange positions," Gayle said.

"It paid off in the end, but it is not something I will be looking for in the next game for Bravo to open the batting."

Gayle was confident that his men could bounce back in the final Test in Trinidad. (CMC)