West Indies superstar Chris Gayle who has taken the T20 cricket in a new height through his powerful and innovative batting insisted that he will be ‘only one’ and no one can match his style.
Gayle, popularly known as ‘Universe Boss’ for his successful venture in domestic T20 cricket in every of part of the World, said there might come several superstars in the game of cricket but the ‘Universe Boss’ tag would be attached with him forever.
“There won’t be any Chris Gayle or any Universe Boss. There will always be one and there won’t be another one like me,” he said here on Thursday while talking to the journalists.
“There are so many new players on the market. It’s difficult to find just one person. At some stage you are always going to have a new generation come around. They need to set the T20 stage alight, build legacy and their name as well and then they can be the next superstar as well. The world is like a cycle, we come and we go.”
Gayle’s confidence stemmed from the performance he showed all over the world in the last 20 years. And the stat proved it. He is one of the two cricketers in the World with Virender Sehwag who has triple century in Test and double century in ODI cricket. He is also amongst few cricketers who had two triple centuries in the Test. He may be more famous for his T20 exploits in which he possessed several records like most centuries, most sixes, most runs, he is the cricketer who thrived in every format of the cricket.
“In order to get your status you have to go around the globe, you have to build your name, perform in all kinds of conditions and I’ve done my fare bit as well. I’ve nothing to prove and you know where I stand in my cricketing career as well. So, just for them to follow in that footstep as well. Most of them don’t get the opportunity for their international cricket career as well. So, lot of them don’t get a chance as well to play around the world as most play international cricket,” he said adding that he still enjoys the cricket at the age of 40.
“I just think I am on the slow side a bit. You know, my life’s plan ahead. It’s been 20 years of international cricket and 20 years of cricket in general. So, there is always life after cricket and this is the time where you can put some plans in place as well. Play a bit of cricket as well. It won’t be like back then where you play in all the tournaments and play all the games in those tournaments as well. So you have to monitor it as you go on.”
Having said that he made it sure, he wants to play cricket till 45 as he feels himself younger still. “45 is a good number. Lets’ talk at 45. I think that’s a good number and my first number,” he said.
“A lot of people still want to see Chris Gayle out in the middle. I still have that love for the game and that passion for the game. I would love to carry on as long as possible in T20 and franchise cricket as well. I still play a few games here and there around the world because I still think I have a lot to offer. The body is feeling good and I am sure I am getting younger as the days go. So I am looking forward to it,” he signed off.
