Former West Indies Test captain Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the first-ever Sri Lanka Premier League season through injury.

Gayle has been signed to the Uva Next franchise as captain and was one of the SLPL's marquee players, and the franchise's chief executive Tushar Bedi has revealed his disappointment.

"Of course it's a blow to lose Gayle," Bedi told Cricinfo. "[However] we are very happy with the team that we've got and we're still going to win the competition."

Gayle has played Twenty20 cricket in the Indian Premier League, Australia's Big Bash and the Bangladesh Premier League.