Singh and Gayle crafted a crucial 100 run partnership, which led KXIP to an 8 wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday and temporarily lifted the team into the playoff spots after finding themselves rooted to the bottom of the table just two weeks prior. The win, the team’s fifth in a row, has coincided with the return of the veteran batsman Gayle to the line-up. The West Indian had found himself sitting on the bench for the team’s first 7 games, where they struggled to a 1-7 start.
Since coming into the line-up Gayle has scored 177 runs, including two half-centuries, and has brought a sense of energy to the team.
“Chris makes the game so easy, I told him ‘you should never retire’,” Singh said in a post-match interview.
“I’ve been lucky to play with the likes of Chris Gayle, AB, Gilchrist, Virat Kohli. I started out with Chris in 2010… I’ve been fortunate to know him as a friend. He’s so humble, he is so down to earth. Like I said, he should never retire. He is always in great touch. I have never seen him struggle. He is probably the greatest T20 player of all time," he added.
A quick look at some of the stats does buttress Singh’s claims. Gayle has scored the most runs in T20 cricket (13,296), has the highest score (175), most sixes in an innings (18), and the fastest 100. He has also hit the most fours with 1,026. With 993 sixes, Gayle is just 7 away from a record 1000.
In typically flamboyant style, Gayle welcomed his countryman to the team with a short march and salute. The celebration style has been made popular by the fast bowler who treats fans to the salute every time that he takes a wicket.
The 31-year-old former soldier was bought for a whopping INR 8.5 crore ($US1,156,239) by Punjab during the IPL 2020 auction. The player joined the IPL after taking part in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). It was not smooth sailing for Kings XI on debut. Chasing 158, Kings XI needed 13 from the last over bowled by Australia Marcus Stoinis. Mayank Agarwal started the over with a six followed by a couple and a four, thereby equalling the score.
Now, the KL Rahul-led side required just one run to win off three balls. But in a significant twist, Punjab failed to score. The game went to the Super Over where DC successfully defeated KXIP. Gayle was also not a part of the team picked for the opener.
Kings XI narrowly missed out on securing an Indian Premier League (IPL) playoff spot after finishing 6th in the overall standings. The team, however, got plenty of plaudits for an improbable run, which saw it win five games in a row after getting off to a 1-6 start.
Kings XI’s rapid ascent from the bottom of the table was fueled by the re-introduction of Gayle into the line-up. The West Indian had been left on the bench for the first seven games of the season. He was not picked for the first five, with a bout of food poisoning ruling him out for the next two. Gayle fired immediately once he was inserted into the line-up, ending with 288 runs at an average of 44.14 and a high score of 99.
“The team management did what it thought was best for the team. It is important to back experienced players and Gayle has demonstrated that he should play every game next season,” Wadia told the Press Trust of India (PTI).
The owner also had high praise for team captain and leading scorer KL Rahul, suggesting that some of Kings XI’s struggles could be based on the fact that it is a newly assembled unit.
“It’s a new captain, new team with lots of fresh faces, sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn’t. The auction is coming up soon and we would be looking to plug gaps in the middle order and our bowling,” Wadia said.
“K L has been with is for three years and there was a reason we went after him so aggressively. He has proved us right.”
The 41-year-old may have had cause for concern after reports suggested that he attended the celebrity-filled birthday party of sprint star Usain Bolt last week. Bolt tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday.
"Couple days ago. 1st COVID-19 test...Before travel I need 2 negative test," Gayle's Instagram feed read. In another post, he wrote, "The last one went a bit too far in my nose. Phew. Result was negative."
"I'm going to stay home for 2020... not gonna travel again...nah sah! Tan a mi yard!! Keep the change! Excuse me!" he added.
The player will, however, be subject to more testing once he arrives in the UAE, where the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be staged this year.
On arrival, Gayle will receive a test at the airport, followed by six days of isolation. During that period, he will be tested on days one, three and five. Players and all personnel that will be part of this year’s competition must be cleared before they can enter the biosecure bubble. Gayle had been expected to take part in this season’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where he would have represented the St Lucia Zouks, but opted out of the competition.
In this season's Indian Premier League (IPL) the 40-year-old T20 talisman has been a crucial part of a big comeback for King’s XI Punjab, who were rooted to the bottom of the table after their first seven games, with Gayle also rooted on the bench. Following the player’s introduction, where he crafted a crucial 53, the team has gone on to win three games in a row and are now back in contention for the fourth spot.
Tendulkar believes that in addition to scoring the veteran player has brought a certain amount of energy and confidence to the now surging team.
"When it comes to Gayle, people only talk about his big-hitting. That, everyone knows, but many guys don’t notice one thing, Gayle is a very smart player. He is a big hitter no doubt, but he is a clever guy. If he finds someone threatening who can get him out, he is prepared to see his over through. Then he will target one of two bowlers like he targeted Tushar Despande in the match against Delhi. He got runs off that over,” Tendulkar said via a video posted to his official Twitter account.
“Gayle is a smart player, don’t think Gayle will come out and hit every ball. He does not do that, he understands the surface, he reads the pace of the surface and what the bowler is good at. When he realises that there is a bowler who he can go after, then he goes all out,” he added.
KXIP will go for a fourth straight win when they face Sunrisers Hyderabad and another in-form West Indian Jason Holder today.
Gayle reached the mark in 66 deliveries, with the record boundary coming from the bowling of Jofra Archer. The record was just the latest in a long list of achievements for the 41-year-old batsman. Gayle has scored the most runs in T20 cricket, has the highest score (175), most sixes in an innings (18), and the fastest 100. He has also hit the most fours.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) season began in disappointing fashion for the West Indian after being left out of the team’s line-up for the first seven games. Since returning to the line-up, however, he has been a revelation for Kings XI who moved from the bottom of the table back into playoff contention with five straight wins.
There was a little bit of disappointment for Gayle, however, as he was bowled on 99 by Archer, falling one run short of his 7th IPL 100. The team ended on 185 for 4, which Rajasthan will chase to win.
“I’m just happy the hard work and dedication has paid off over the years and I’m still here still doing it. I’m very grateful for that to be honest,” Gayle said.
“To all the guys that I promised a century today, I missed out but that a century for me, I score 100 today.”
Gayle hit four fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 40 as the Kings scored 221 for 6 in their 20 overs.
Gayle and KL Rahul put on 67 for the second wicket after they had lost Mayank Argawal for 14 with the score on 22.
Rahul and Deepak Hooda put on 105 for the third wicket, 64 of them coming from Hooda’s bat plundered four fours and sixes in his 28-ball bat.
Nicholas Pooran failed to trouble the scorers out first ball. Rahul eventually fell for 91 in the final over having hit seven fours and five sixes in his 50-ball innings. However, after has dismissed only one more run was scored from the remaining four deliveries.
Left-arm medium-pacer Chetan Sakariya claimed the wickets of Rahul Agarwal and Jyhe Richardson to return figures of 3-31 from his four overs.
Chris Morris, who got Gayle, took 2-41.
Needing 222 for victory, the Royals chase was led by Sanju Samson who a fantastic hundred. With his team needing five runs to win from the last ball, Samson was caught in the deep, going for a six over sweeper cover.
Arriving at the crease after Ben Stokes was out for a duck, Samson plundered the Kings bowling scoring 119 runs off just 63 balls during and hit 12 fours and seven magnificent sixes.
Unfortunately, he did not have much support as Jos Butler and Riyan Parag each had cameos before getting out for 25 but were unable to stay with Samson. Shivan Dube also got 23, but he, too, didn’t last long.
Asrshdeep Singh who got Samson’s vital wicket returned figures of 3-35. Mohammed Sami took 2-33.
The 41-year-old big hitter had been expected to come into the line-up on Thursday, for the first time this season, but was forced to watch from the sideline after battling with a bout of food poisoning. The team plummeted to a 5th loss of the season, from its first six games.
Frustration has grown with Maxwell as the all-rounder has managed just 48 runs in six matches. It was hoped the player would replicate his heroics from the previous edition but another low score on Thursday has put his place in jeopardy.
"The message was very clear that they were not happy with Maxwell. It’s a clear statement if Chris Gayle walks in, Maxwell walks out," Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha told Sports Today.
Ojha believes the team’s batting struggles have also impacted KL Rahul who he does not believe is playing like his usual self. Ojha believes the issue is the burden of supporting what has proven to be a rather fragile middle-order.
. “I think he was just trying to play because he knew that the middle order is not doing well, that pressure and this game you know when you have over 200 runs to chase, any batsman would feel the pressure. And Rahul knows that if he and Mayank don’t do well, they have a fragile middle order. Anil Kumble mentioned Chris Gayle, they wanted him to play but he was not well.”
The 38-year-old Bravo, who has been with Chennai Super Kings since 2018, and previously spent four years with the franchise between 2011–2015, was a part of the team’s IPL-winning run last season. Retention policies, however, forced the team to shed a few of the team’s veteran players.
In addition to Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Josh Hazlewood, Suresh Raina, and Cheteshwar Pujara were also among those released. In the meantime, the team retained MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Gayle, Pooran, and Fabian Allen, in the meantime, all played for Punjab King’s XI with Gayle and Pooran having seasons to forget. Gayle averaged 21.44 in 10 games, while Pooran averaged a measly 7.72 in 12 games. Punjab retained only Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh and will have a hefty purse for the auction.
In the meantime, only three West Indies players were retained. The Kolkata Knight Riders kept all-rounder Andre Russell and mystery spinner Sunil Narine, while the Mumbai Indians have kept a hold of Kieron Pollard. Other Windies players released include;
Shimron Hetmyer (Delhi Capitals), Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas (Rajasthan Royals), Jason Holder, Sherfane Rutherford (Sunrisers Hyderabad).
The 42-year-old Gayle represented the franchise between 2011 and 2017. The batsman never won a title at the club but set a number of records while there, including the highest ever individual T20 score of 175 during the 2013 IPL season.
Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli thanked the two greats for their contribution to making the IPL what it is today. Gayle thanked the club for the special honour.
"I want to thank the RCB family for the opportunity, for everything. It's been special to me as well. And to be inducted is something fantastic, and I will always keep RCB close to my heart. I share a lot of memories with some special players and some special coaches,” Gayle said.
“It's been fantastic. I wish I were there to give this speech, look into you guys' eyes, and tell you exactly how I feel. AB mentioned it's going to be emotional because it's very touching for such a franchise that has been created over the years. It's fantastic. And to Virat, thank you for the kind words as well. Fantastic sharing the dressing room with you guys as well."
Bravo suffered the injury during CSK's match against the Delhi Capitals on October 17.
Recovery for the veteran all-rounder is expected to take two to three weeks and as such will be out for the remaining matches in the IPL.
His loss will be a blow to CSK who often rely on his death bowling and explosive batting. Bravo has taken 147 IPL wickets, 110 of which he took playing for the Super Kings.
The 37-year-old Trinidadian shared the sad news with his fans on CSK’s Twitter account.
“It’s sad news,” he said. “It’s sad for me to be leaving my team, team CSK. To all our CSK fans, I want you all to keep encouraging the team, keep supporting..”
Bravo’s injury could also have implications for the West Indies cricket team as he was selected as a member of the T20 squad that is to play three matches against New Zealand in New Zealand next month.
In eight matches to date, Russell has struggled to an average of 11.85, with a high score of 24. As those stats will tell you, the typically big-hitting West Indian has managed to clear the boundary rope just 6 times, reaching to it on four occasions, well short of his explosive best.
The performance is light years away from last season’s bulldozer campaign, which saw the player accumulate 510 runs from the stipulated 14 games at an average of 56.66, with a whopping 204.81 strike rate.
Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha believes a big part of the issue is that Russell has not developed his game and is the same player he was four years ago. Worse yet, he believes it could increasingly become a liability for KKR.
“Andre Russell is not an improved cricketer, he has not changed his game. You see all the top players, they have changed their approach. Andre Russell is playing just the way he was playing 4 years ago, that is a liability,” Ojha told India Today’s Sports Tak.
“Look at Jasprit Bumrah, when he came into the Mumbai Indians side and what he is today, you have to improve. You have to improve as a cricketer, cricket is evolving and you have to evolve, you cannot be stagnant.”
Russell has done a bit better with the ball, claiming six wickets at an economy rate of 9.12.
It is their first trip ever to an IPL final where they face four-time champions Mumbai Indians.
Hetmyer hit four fours and a six and shared in a 52-run partnership with Shikhar Dhawan who top scored for the Capitals with a 50-ball 78.
The half-century stand came up in just 25 balls with Hetmyer scoring 34 of them as the Capitals raced towards their match-winning total of 189 for 3.
Man of the Match Marcus Stoinis opened the batting with Dhawan and scored 38 from 27 balls. He and Dhawan scored 50 runs from just 29 balls and were 65 without loss after six overs. Stoinis was unbeaten on 33 and Dhawan 30.
The pair took the score to 86 when Stoinis was bowled by Rashid Khan in the ninth over.
Shreyas Iyer joined Dhawan and together they took the score to 126 when Jason Holder had Iyer caught at mid-off for 21.
Hetmyer and Dhawan then took the Sunrisers’ bowling to task scoring at just about 12 runs an over. The Guyanese batsman was particularly harsh on the West Indies captain hitting him for four fours in the 18th over that yielded 18 runs.
Dhawan was trapped lbw in the 19th over two balls after he was dropped at deep midwicket by Rashid Khan. The Capitals lost some momentum after that with only seven runs coming off the final over but managed a competitive total of 189 for 3.
Chasing 190, Sunrisers were immediately in trouble when the dangerous David Warner was bowled by Kagiso Rabada for 2 in the second over with the score at 12.
Three overs later, Sunrisers were in deeper trouble when Stoinis dismissed Priyam Garg (17) and Manish Pandey with the fourth and the sixth balls of the fifth over. At the break, Sunrisers were 64 for 3 from nine overs.
Holder stayed with Kane Williamson until the 12th over when he lost his wicket to Axar Patel for 11 and the Sunrisers 90 for 4.
Williamson and Abdul Samad put on a quick-fire 57 to bring Sunrisers back into the hunt. The 50-stand came up in just 27 balls but the chase began to unravel when Sunrisers lost their fifth wicket in the 17th over when Stoinis had Kane caught by Rabada for 67 with the score at 147.
At 167 for 5, Rabada inflicted the death blows when he had the wickets of Samad and Khan in successive deliveries as he finished with 4 for 29.
The double blow took the sting out of the Sunrisers attack and booked the Capitals spot in the finals.
Stoinis completed a good day with figures of 3 for 26.
Hetmyer was retained by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2021 auction, despite a lukewarm season in which he scored 185 runs in 11 innings at an average of 23.12 and a strike rate of 148.
However, his compatriots Keemo Pail and Sherfane Rutherford were not as fortunate as they were both released having failed to force their way into the starting line ups for the Capitals and the Mumbai Indians, respectively.
Not surprisingly, Kieron Pollard has been retained by the 2020 champions Mumbai Indians. Pollard was an influential figure in the Indians set up and captained the team in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury at the back end of the season.
Pollard’s compatriot, Dwayne Bravo, who suffered a season-ending injury in 2020, was retained by the Chennai Super Kings. Bravo won the Purple Cap in the 2013 and 2015 seasons. In 2013, he took 32 wickets during the IPL, the most ever for in an IPL, and he continues to be a game-changer for the Super Kings.
Meanwhile, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine were both retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders even after less than stellar seasons. Christopher Gayle and Nicholas Pooran were deservedly retained by the Kings XI Punjab.
Jason Holder, who was signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad, after Mitchell Marsh suffered an injury early in the season, was retained by the franchise.
It was not all good news for Sheldon Cottrell who was released by Kings XI Punjab after a disappointing season. He was signed for more than USD$1 million. Fabian Allen and Oshane Thomas were released by the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, respectively.
The all-rounder was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the new campaign, after only coming in as a substitute for Australian Mitchell Marsh last season.
Holder went on to score 66 runs, in seven matches, at an average of 33, and claimed 14 wickets, the third most on the team despite playing less than half the games. Lara, who is part of a commentary panel for this season’s tournament, has tipped the player to carry on in the same vein.
“Jason Holder could do pretty well. He ended up replacing Mitchell Marsh in the 2020 IPL, so I expect him to maybe come up with trumps this year,” Lara told StarSports.
“The tracks are not so favourable to the pace where he is playing at present, but he is such a good all-round player that I hope he can maintain his play and really show that the West Indians are here to stay,” he added.
Holder could, however, have plenty of competition for the top West Indian player with the likes of Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, and Nicholas Pooran also taking part in this season’s competition.
Marsh, who was drafted by Sunrisers Hyderabad, was ruled out of the tournament after injuring his ankle in the team’s first match of the season.
As a result, Holder, who will perhaps be looking to make up for a disappointing outing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has been tipped to make his fourth IPL appearance. It will be the second for the Sunrisers, but he has previously featured for the Chennai Super Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Holder, who was replaced as West Indies T20 captain by Kieron Pollard last year, had a base price of INR 75 lakh ($US100,000), in the December IPL auction but went unsold more than once.
In the most recent CPL campaign, he led the Barbados Tridents to a fifth-place finish in the six-team table. Holder scored 192 runs at a strike rate of 140.14, and also picked up ten wickets at an economy rate of 6.63. He will be required to undergo a six-day quarantine before joining up with the rest of the team.
The West Indies captain was contracted by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in September to replace Australia’s Mitchell Marsh, who injured his ankle in SRH’s first match of the 2020 IPL season and was ruled out for the entire season.
The 28-year-old Barbadian repaid SRH’s faith in him on Thursday when he took three wickets and was involved in four dismissals in his team’s emphatic eight-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals in Dubai.
The former West Indies fast bowler speaking on T20 Timeout believes it was Holder’s CPL form that has seen him playing in the IPL for the first time since he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2016.
“What catapulted him back into the West Indies T20 side was last year’s CPL where he picked up 11 or 12 wickets in the Power Play because he swings the ball, he has nice bounce and he was particularly impressive in that phase of the game,” said Bishop, who said his batting also played a role.
“He is not as good at the back end of the innings, and in this year’s CPL he was scoring a lot of runs relative to the Barbados Tridents, who he captained again.
“He looked like a batsman (when compared to most of them) apart from Kyle Mayers.”
Bishop believes Holder’s overall game has been improving.
“He is getting better. I wouldn’t say he is a standout T20 player but I can understand why they (SRH) went for him.”
The 41-year-old game began the season on a good note, scoring 40 from 28 balls in the first match, a victory against Rajasthan Royals. The veteran batsman has struggled to connect since then, scoring 10, 11, and 15 in the team’s next three games. The Kings have lost all three for a 1-3 start to the season.
Agarkar believes at this age, the Kings must weigh closely the benefits of keeping Gayle in the line-up, if he is not scoring the required runs.
"I don't know, he started well. He got 40 in the first game. The challenge with Chris Gayle is that he did not play the first few games last season and then came back, and he was as good as ever. So, I can understand it is a difficult decision to sit him out," Agarkar told Espncricinfo.
"If he is it and when he has done well, you always want to accommodate him. How long can you go on if he is not firing, especially at this stage of his career?" he asked.
Last season, Gaye was left out of the line-up for the team’s first 6 games but returned to play a pivotal role in their run for a place in the play-offs, following another slow start. Gayle is not the only West Indian struggling at the moment, however, as Nicholas Pooran, a standout performer last season has only scored 9 runs in fours games, including three ducks.
"Their problem is that Nicholas Pooran is not scoring run either, who they must have had high hopes from. It's a tricky one. I don't know how long they can keep playing Chris Gayle if he is not getting runs.”
The viral photo of a dejected Russell sitting on the steps did the rounds on social media, and the player has taken the time out to explain the emotions associated with the moment.
“Well, I was very emotional and I didn’t know how to go to the changing room and face all my teammates after leaving a ball and getting out bowled like that,” Russell told KKR.in.
“You know, the job is not complete, and I wanted to take the team over the line. So, I think the emotions got the best of me but staying strong,” he added.
KKR found themselves chasing a sizeable 221 for victory and in real trouble at 31 for 5. Russell and Dinesh Karthik had, however, started to lead the fightback. Russell hit 6 sixes and smashed a 21-ball fifty to give KKR hope and seemed set on delivering on one of his famous comeback specials. He was, however, dismissed against the run of play, for 54, in the 12th over when he left a Curran delivery, which crashed into his leg stump.
The towering speedster earned widespread plaudits after putting together an extraordinarily economical 3 for 28, in a high-scoring encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.
With some 422 runs scored in the match, Ngidi, who was tasked with death bowling duties after replacing Bravo in the line-up, had a solid economy rate of 7.00. The South African’s skills and variations were on full display after he trapped an attacking Dinesh Karthik with a slower ball dismissal, a delivery that would surely have pleased his West Indian tutor.
“There was a lot of pressure, Bravo has been doing very well for CSK. So, I had to come in and fill his shoes,” Ngidi told the IPL’s official website.
“I have worked very closely with Bravo on the slower bowls at the death. One of the slower bowls he has been teaching me for a long time came off and got us a wicket.”
In the end, CSK won by 18 runs, in no small part thanks to Faf Du Plessis’ brutal, unbeaten 95 from 60 deliveries. The 37-year-old Bravo was rested for the encounter, due to workload concerns.
