Characters like Virat Kohli add to cricket’s flavour

NEW DELHI: In-your-face and cheeky, Chris Gayle is full of entertainment on and off the field. Recently the Caribbean big-hitter matched Shahid Afridi for the most number of international sixes (476). Ask him how he feels and pat comes the reply: “Gayle and Boom Boom (laughs), we hit sixes for fun. So it’s good to be joined.”

In a chat, Gayle speaks about a range of issues. Excerpts:

Did you watch Virat Kohli’s century in the first Test vs England?

I watched the highlights. It was a fantastic innings, a captain’s knock. He has put the team in a position of comeback, now it is up to the Indian bowlers. It is a sort of innings that gives self-belief to other batsmen in the team. The way he was batting with the tail even they were determined.

Virat likes to wear his emotions on his sleeve; you are similar in that respect. Do you think cricket is missing such characters?

Yea, we don’t want to lose those characters because the game will get boring. Let people talk, do your thing. Not everyone is going to say good things about you. Just be yourself, have a bit of flavour; have a bit of flaws to your game as well.

What are your plans?

The objective is ODI World Cup in 2019, T20 World Cup in 2020 and 2021. It is also about sitting with the selectors, coach and captain and see how can you prolong your career.

Having matched Afridi on most number of sixes, are you looking forward to break his record?

I saw it on social media, matching the big man himself, the legend ‘Boom Boom’ Afridi. That’s what we do. We entertain. Gayle and Boom Boom (laughs) we hit sixes for fun. So, it’s good to be at par, but I will leave at that, international cricket done (laughs)

Your thoughts on future of Test with so many leagues around?

I would love to ask the same question to ICC. It seems to be about revenues. Business is business at the end of day, so we don’t know about longer version.

What is your idea of getting people back to Test cricket?

Pay the players a chunk of money.

Leg spinners are back in fashion to curb attacking batsmen?

Yes, they are doing lot of damages in T20. It’s good to see them coming back and playing a big role. There are many youngsters-from Rashid Khan to Sandeep Lamichhane, he is playing for my team St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. Leg spinners can be more expressive. Even chinaman Kuldeep Yadav has been doing well. Those players are the key players.

On being signed as brand ambassador of online poker site Adda52?

The Gayle-factor bring in lot of entertainment. Lot of cricketers play poker.