India’s send-off to Chris Gayle sparks retirement speculation
The Universe Boss Chris Gayle may have played his last one-day international going by the send-off given to him by the Indian team after the veteran West Indies left-handed batsman from Jamaica signed off with a blustering 72 off 41 – an innings laced with five sixes and eight boundaries.
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Special Edition!???? Number 301 today to mark his 301st ODI!???? #WIvIND #MenInMaroon #ItsOurGame pic.twitter.com/5lRLMaD9kV— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) August 14, 2019
After he was dismissed by Khaleel Ahmed in the third one-day international at the Port of Spain in Trinidad, Gayle was immediately congratulated by the visiting captain and good friend Virat Kohli, under whom he played at the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The duo even did their trademark jig.
Walking away from the field, Gayle, who wore a custom made jersey which had the number 301 – which signifies the number of ODIs he has played – he threw his bat up in the air with his helmet on top and walked off the field. The West Indies camp gave Gayle a standing ovation after he hurled the helmet up in the air and caught it while approaching the boundary ropes.
READ: Brian Lara congratulates Chris Gayle as he becomes leading run-getter in ODIs for West Indies
????????️???????? Gayle is caught for 72 (41 balls, 8 fours, 5 sixes). What a show by the legend; he receives a standing ovation as he leaves the field, maybe for the last time in ODIs. Join us in sending best wishes to Chris ???????????????? #WIAllIn #ItsOurGame #WIvIND #INDvWI #MenInMaroon #Rally pic.twitter.com/Vr1dwzcMVX
— WIPA (@wiplayers) August 14, 2019
If this is his last ODI, Gayle will have signed off having played 301 matches – the most by a West Indies player after Brian Lara having accumulated 10480 runs with 25 hundred and 54 half-centuries. In 103 Tests, he scored 7214 runs with 15 centuries.
Gayle wanted a farewell Test as well, but his request was turned down by Cricket West Indies, who did not name him in the two-match series which gets underway in Jamaica on August 22. He also did not play in the preceding three-match Twenty20 series.