Chris Gayle is one of the greatest T20 batters of all time. However, the southpaw has run out of gas in the last few years. Gayle has been going through a lean patch, having scored just 227 runs in the last 16 T20Is at an average of 17.46. In the second leg of IPL, Gayle played just two games and scored 1 and 14 before being dropped from the Punjab Kings team.
He also had a mediocre season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he scored just 165 runs at an average of 18.33 in nine games for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. Considering his poor form, former West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose had said the southpaw won’t be an automatic selection in the West Indies XI for the upcoming International T20 Cup. The 'Universe Boss’ was not amused by Ambrose's comments and said he has lost all respect for the former fast bowler.
"I am speaking about Curtly Ambrose. I am singling out Curtly Ambrose, one of your own. I highly respected him when I came into the West Indies team," Gayle told The Island Tea Morning Show, a radio station in St Kitts, on Tuesday.
"When I just joined the team, I looked up to this man. But I am now speaking from my heart. I don't know what, since he retired, what he had against Chris Gayle. Those negative things he has been saying within the press, I don't know if he is looking for attention, but he is getting the attention. So I am just giving back the attention which he requires and which he needs. I can tell you personally, and you can let him know that Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, have no respect for Curtly Ambrose whatsoever."
Gayle further said if Ambrose is going to be negative instead of supporting the team, he cannot expect the players to respect him. "I am finished with Curtly Ambrose," Gayle, 42, said. "I have no respect, any time I see him I will tell him as well -- 'Stop being negative, support the team ahead of the World Cup.' This team has been selected and we need past players to support us. We need that, we don't need negative energy. In other teams, their past players support their teams, why can't our own support us in a big tournament like this?
"We have won the tournament twice, and we will be going for the third title. The team has seen what is happening. It is going to reflect on the team. I am not going to take anything from any senior player. Curtly Ambrose pull your socks up, alright? Support for West Indies, ok? Support West Indies, that is the thing."
West Indies will go into the mega event, eyeing for their third title. The defending champions are the only team to win the title twice since its inception in 2007.
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'I have no respect for Curtly Ambrose' : Chris Gayle takes on former pacer for negative comments
Chris Gayle is one of the greatest T20 batters of all time. However, the southpaw has run out of gas in the last few years.
Chris Gayle ( Image Credit: Twitter)
Chris Gayle is one of the greatest T20 batters of all time. However, the southpaw has run out of gas in the last few years. Gayle has been going through a lean patch, having scored just 227 runs in the last 16 T20Is at an average of 17.46. In the second leg of IPL, Gayle played just two games and scored 1 and 14 before being dropped from the Punjab Kings team.
He also had a mediocre season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he scored just 165 runs at an average of 18.33 in nine games for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. Considering his poor form, former West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose had said the southpaw won’t be an automatic selection in the West Indies XI for the upcoming International T20 Cup. The 'Universe Boss’ was not amused by Ambrose's comments and said he has lost all respect for the former fast bowler.
"I am speaking about Curtly Ambrose. I am singling out Curtly Ambrose, one of your own. I highly respected him when I came into the West Indies team," Gayle told The Island Tea Morning Show, a radio station in St Kitts, on Tuesday.
"When I just joined the team, I looked up to this man. But I am now speaking from my heart. I don't know what, since he retired, what he had against Chris Gayle. Those negative things he has been saying within the press, I don't know if he is looking for attention, but he is getting the attention. So I am just giving back the attention which he requires and which he needs. I can tell you personally, and you can let him know that Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, have no respect for Curtly Ambrose whatsoever."
Gayle further said if Ambrose is going to be negative instead of supporting the team, he cannot expect the players to respect him. "I am finished with Curtly Ambrose," Gayle, 42, said. "I have no respect, any time I see him I will tell him as well -- 'Stop being negative, support the team ahead of the World Cup.' This team has been selected and we need past players to support us. We need that, we don't need negative energy. In other teams, their past players support their teams, why can't our own support us in a big tournament like this?
"We have won the tournament twice, and we will be going for the third title. The team has seen what is happening. It is going to reflect on the team. I am not going to take anything from any senior player. Curtly Ambrose pull your socks up, alright? Support for West Indies, ok? Support West Indies, that is the thing."
West Indies will go into the mega event, eyeing for their third title. The defending champions are the only team to win the title twice since its inception in 2007.