He last played the IPL in 2021.
Players can part ways with their franchise for various reasons. Over the course of the 18-year history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), there have been multiple instances of players being transferred from one franchise to another. However, one of the reasons which doesn’t seem right remains to be disrespect towards a player. Former West Indies batter Chris Gayle spoke about one such incident in his career, on a recent podcast.
The Punjab Kings opener opened up about his tenure at the franchise and also voiced that he felt disrespected. Furthermore, Gayle added that he was not very convinced with the way the franchise was handling him and other operations as well.
One of the most important things a franchise can do is to make a player feel valued. And according to Gayle, the Punjab Kings failed miserably at that task, at least in the 2021 season of the IPL. Gayle’s contributions to the franchise were massive in terms of his game. Additionally he also supported the leadership group. KL Rahul was the captain of the franchise when the West Indian opener decided to draw curtains on his time at the franchise.
Gayle has amassed almost 5,000 runs in the IPL, with a highest score of an unbeaten 175. Over a period of 142 matches, he has scored six humongous centuries in the tournament. Teams used to bank on the explosive power which Gayle used to bring to the table in every game.
In IPL 2021, the mental aspect of every player was also tested to its limits. This was because players were forced to be a part of the bio-bubble due to the pandemic which had rocked the world. As a result, loneliness coupled with disrespect is what led to the decision for the Universe Boss.
Gayle spoke about his conversations with the captain and coach of the franchise. He approached Anil Kumble first, who was the head coach of PBKS back then. The two had a discussion wherein Gayle put forth his thoughts in front of Kumble about how he wasn’t being treated well. Additionally, he also informed Kumble about his decision to leave the franchise.
Before he called time on his stint with PBKS, KL Rahul also had a word with Gayle, reassuring that he would get his chances in the upcoming games. But it was too late for the West Indian.
“I felt like I was disrespected and I wasn’t treated properly for a senior guy. That was the first time in my life, I felt like I was going into depression mode”, Gayle said on the podcast.
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Due to the abundance of franchise leagues around the globe, players have not been scared to take a bold step. Many players have called time in their international career to focus on T20 leagues, where big money lies. Two of the most prominent names in the recent past have been Nicholas Pooran and Heinrich Klaasen.
Gayle highlighted the underlying problem behind these moves, stating that the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the cricket boards need to come together to formulate a solution for the same. He stressed that the boards need to make sure everybody is paid well.
To play a five-day Test match is not easy at all. It takes a toll on the players’ bodies. The recovery period for players after each day is very short and they have to ensure that they are back on the field the next day. Gayle reckons that the boards need to give players a lot of money to feature in a Test match.
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