The Renegades will have two elite West Indies players next season, with Gayle to be joined by returning all-rounder Dwayne Bravo. Both have signed one-year deals and are due to be available for the entire season.

Gayle played with Western Australia in the last two seasons of the state-based Big Bash, and then with the Thunder for the first two of the BBL on a lucrative contract. The team finished last in both of those seasons.

In addition to Gayle's poor form in 2012-13 - he reached 30 only once in seven matches - he conspicuously stayed at a plush hotel in central Sydney away from the rest of the squad, who stayed in western Sydney.

The end-of-season review by then coach Shane Duff described Gayle's general approach as "satisfactory" and his on-field performance as "below expectations". He recommended the team only consider re-signing him "on a significantly reduced contract".

For the past two BBL seasons Gayle instead signed to play in South Africa's Twenty20 competition.

Renegades chief executive Stuart Coventry, who is currently in India and met with Gayle on Thursday night, said he had no reservations about signing the brutal-hitting batsman despite what had occurred at Thunder.

"Not at all. He's totally moved on from that experience in western Sydney," Coventry said, confirming Gayle would "absolutely" stay in the team hotel.

"He'll be with the rest of the group, will do everything with the group. He'll just be another player.

"The one thing I worked out after a really long chat over dinner last night is that he's not that precious and he'll do whatever it takes within the team environment to make sure we're successful.

"He's pretty keen to come to Melbourne ... he really wants to make an impact."

Coventry said he was rapt to have secured both Gayle and Bravo, especially as both are demonstrating fine form in the IPL.

"This year we're looking for a good, settled group, and those two will provide that," he said. "I put a lot of faith in Tom Moody, our director of cricket, to help me put a list together, and I think we've done a good job.

"With Finch and Gayle at the top end, and you've got Cameron White, Matthew Wade, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Tom Beaton from Perth is an up-and-comer - and we've got some other announcements coming up in a few weeks - our starting list is very, very strong."

Renegades coach David Saker said Gayle's spin-bowling would also be important.

"Chris' abilities and experience goes without saying. He has tremendous skills both as an explosive T20 batsman but also as that genuine all-rounder you need," Saker said. "He's someone who can inspire the squad, particularly among our batsmen, with his confidence and his ability to back himself and flick the switch when the time is right."