Chris Gayle’s figures in his last eight T20 innings before the must-win match against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 16 at Eden Gardens read 4,5,4,1,0,7,5,6.
The innings before these eight failures was a marvellous 47-ball ton against England in a World T20 match. This was Gayle’s 17th T20 ton, aS he became only the second player aFTER from Brendon Mcullum to have two international T2O tons.
Gayle also became the first player to hit two T20 World Cup tons.
However, Gayle’s next eight innings were a terrible run at the crease, scoring 32 runs from 43 deliveries at an average of only four.
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli dealt with it by ‘resting’ Gayle, saying frankly in a press conference that Gayle had been dropped for poor form.
However, with RCB in the unenviable position of needing four wins in four matches, Kohli brought Gayle back, because the captain recognised that Gayle is a matchwinner. The first match after his return, Gayle flopped, scoring only six runs.
Then came the match against Kolkata.
As England had scored 182, KKR scored 183. The scene was a big stadium, Wankhede then, Eden Gardens now. It was a must-win situation for Gayle’s team.
Gayle started nervously, with only one run in seven balls, then he exploded with five 4s and four 6s to finish at 49 in 31 balls. This led to a start of 71 in 7.3 overs and AB de Villiers and Kohli were too classy a pair to let this good start go awry. The result was a comfortable win, by nine wickets with eight balls to spare.
What is in Gayle’s future? Can we ignore this recent run of poor form? Let us not forget that he is one of only four players to score two 300s in Test cricket, along with immortal Don Bradman, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag. He also has a 200 in ODIs, the aforementioned two international T20 100s, and 13 T20 Tons as well. He is a power player who hits a six every eighth ball he plays.
Chris Gayle, you have entertained us for so long, may you continue to do so for a long time to come.
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