Chris Gayle is in the middle of an answer about fatherhood when his phone rings. “That's the mum calling,” he chuckles. “I had better call her back.” Gayle's daughter, Kris-Allyna, is just over a year old and there are a lot of things about being a father, he admits, that are new to him. “But I'm enjoying it. It's a wonderful feeling,” he says.
Gayle is perhaps the T20 game's first true superstar; he is a phenomenon, enthralling crowds from Kingston to Chittagong with his relentless six-hitting. At 37, he is closer to the end than the beginning, but the Universe Boss – as he calls himself – is far from done. Gayle is in India to promote Iona, a virtual gaming centre; we will be seeing more of him, he assures us. In this interview, Gayle discusses hitting sixes, the pressure his reputation as an entertainer brings, Test cricket, and Virat Kohli's captaincy.
Excerpts:
Your daughter is a year old. How has fatherhood been?
It means a lot to me to be a father. It's something new in my life. I accept it and appreciate it at the same time. To be able to witness the birth of my child was a great experience; I will always cherish that as the No. 1 moment in my life. I'm blessed to have a healthy daughter.
You are seen as an entertainer. Does this burden you at times?
It (the entertaining) happens naturally but as soon as I step out to bat, the expectation is not for Chris Gayle to fail. It's always a high for the fans to see Chris Gayle perform. You're aware of it as a player but you don't want to think about it too much. You want to give the fans what they want, but you need to go into the game with a clear mind, enjoy it and let things flow. These days once I fail, everybody is upset and they want to eat my head off because I shouldn’t fail. Because of what I've done, the expectation is always high. That's just how it is.
You have struck 747 career sixes in T20 cricket, more than anyone else in the world. Kieron Pollard, who is second on that list, has 470. How did you become this Six Machine (as you called your book)?
I wasn't always an attacking player. When I was a youngster, it wasn't about hitting sixes. I was more a sweet timer of the ball. It was about hitting a lot of fours. As I got older, I got in the gym and gained more strength. Automatically, the sixes started coming. Then you have a good cricket bat behind you, it helps. It's just natural. I also practise a lot of range hitting. That helps as well. It might look easy but I do the preparation for it.
Do you think your T20 record makes people overlook your test career, the fact that you have played 103 tests?
Yeah, definitely. But you know, you have to face the facts. Since T20 came into being, it has taken away the shine from test and 50-over cricket. The entertainment, the music, the cheerleaders... all these things combine within T20 cricket; big money is spent in T20 as well. Automatically people will tend to forget about my history in test and 50-over cricket. But I can't be too downbeat about it. At the end of the day, I know what I've done. I've actually dominated the ultimate form of the game of cricket, which is test cricket. I’m very pleased. Whenever I walk away from the game of cricket, I can say, ‘Yes, I've been very dominant in all formats.’ Not everyone will be able to say that.
You have played with Virat Kohli at RCB for seven seasons now. How do you think he's doing as captain?
Being a captain is never easy. You will have tough tournaments, bad press and all these things. You only have to learn from them. You can only get stronger with these situations. The most important thing is to remember you have a team to lead. Then you have your game to focus on as well. It's a tough task but he’s managing it well. He can only get better.
Earlier this month, your charitable foundation won the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) award for outstanding community service. It works with 16-22 year-olds from difficult backgrounds; is that something that resonates with you?
Yes. It's just to try and use the game of cricket to bring these people in, exploit what they're capable of and how they can be independent in life. It's not a case of looking for the best cricketer; just trying to guide youngsters on what is out there, and how you can make an impact in this world. Everybody has a future; everybody has a talent. You just need to get it out.
You have invested in this venture. You are preparing for life after cricket…
I visited the Iona facility. It was fun. I played football and if I can get people to get off their phones and get outdoors, it's a good thing. For me, cricket is the first priority but at the same time when you get a chance to venture into business, it's a fantastic thing. Your cricket career is so short. You're always looking to fall back on something. You don't want to walk away from the game and be scampering afterwards to start a new business. I'll look to be involved in more businesses, not just in India but globally as well. The universe boss just doesn't become it overnight.
