Chris Gayle is the best batsman in the shorter format of the game, and he almost single-handedly batted Australia out of the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20. Perhaps no other batsman hits a cricket ball harder, and anything that comes off the middle of his bat disappears into the crowd.
Gayle has already claimed that West Indies will win Sunday’s final, and if he gets going, that may well be the result.
Not long ago, the Jamaican was at loggerheads with the West Indies Cricket Board and did not feature in the national side. But that did not write him off, and his performances in domestic leagues around the world kept him in the reckoning. His knack of winning matches single-handedly could not be ignored for long, and once he buried the hatchet with the board, his inclusion was a formality.
Since his comeback to the national team he has been in good form and has raised the bar in the tournament. He has already scored 219 runs in the World Twenty20 at an average of 55. Mahela Jayawardene has started the mind games by saying that Gayle is just another player, but deep down even he knows that Gayle stands between Sri Lanka and the trophy.
Gayle has changed his approach. He now realises that if he can bat through the innings, he can be more destructive than if he hits a few lusty blows at the top of the innings and then loses his wicket in haste.
Gayle plays with élan, and the way he plays has won him the hearts of millions of fans across the globe. He is one of the most dynamic batsmen in the world, and his smile is infectious.
He is respected and loved by teammates and opponents alike because of his larger-than-life character. When he plays, you can see the confidence he exudes. He always looks focused, and the way he played in the last match is an example.
Ahead of the semi-final, he was caught up in a controversy when a few of his female friends were arrested from his hotel room. It would have been natural for him to look disoriented in the match after the incident, but he was his usual self, taking the bowlers to the cleaners.
He can switch his focus to the game very quickly, as has been seen in the past. During his onslaught against Australia in the last match, he was dancing between deliveries, yet he never seemed to lose focus when facing a ball.
Gayle’s huge frame is enough to intimidate any bowler, and seeing him take guard can make captains rework their strategies again and again. He is not like other big hitters and has carved a niche for himself with his style of play. He does not swing wildly and plays the bowling on merit. And once he middles a ball, no ground can contain him.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
