Gayle a whisper in Aussie circles

WEST Indies slogger Chris Gayle was not mentioned in mid-winter recruiting drives by Big Bash teams and future appearances seem unlikely as he remains on the outer with the Australian teams

Gayle showed his Twenty20 star power with a stunning century for Rangpur Riders in the final of the Bangladesh Premier League on Tuesday night as he powered his team to victory.

The left-hander smashed his record for most sixes in an innings, clearing the ropes 18 times in his 69-ball knock of 149 not out in Dhaka.

He also became the first to rack up 11,000 Twenty20 runs, and his century was his 20th in the shortest form of the game.

“I’m the greatest batsman of all time,” Gayle said after his match-winning knock.

Despite his playing prowess, however, 38-year-old was not sounded out by any Big Bash teams for this season after his controversial exit last year.

He did return to Australia for his defamation case against Fairfax Media, from which he famously emerged victorious.

But he is unlikely to be welcomed back as a player.

While playing for the Melbourne Renegades, Gayle was panned for a sleazy sideline interview with former Channel 10 presented Mel McLaughlin in January 2016.

He was fined $10,000 after asking McLaughlin whether she would be interested in getting a drink with him and then said “don’t blush baby” when she became uncomfortable.

In January, on the “anniversary” the unabashed “Universe Boss” posted a video on Twitter telling Australia to “lighten the ph--- up”.

Gayle also did not play in this year’s Natwest T20 Blast in England after a storm over comments made in an interview with journalist Charlotte Edwardes while playing for Somerset last May.

While Gayle is not officially banned, which one insider said it would be “impossible” to do, his presence would have to be ticked off by Cricket Australia.