The swashbuckling sportsman that he is, Chris Gayle, known to dispatch a long six or two, likes to party, and knows his Bollywood. In a short chat at his room at The Claridges Hotel, 6’ 2” Gayle is amiable, even chatty. Excerpts from our interaction.
On what makes him such a popular celebrity in India…
With the kind of personality I have, people here relate to me with those in the entertainment world. As I interact with Bollywood stars and am seen in their company, people see me as a guy with a flamboyant personality who is also able to entertain them by showcasing my talent for cricket. I am not sure whether Hindi films will come my way, but you never know!
On television, I was a guest at The Kapil Sharma show. That show was a great success and I often come across people, who do not follow the game, telling me that they saw me on his show. It feels good.
On the kind of music he has grown up with
As a Jamaican, I grew up with Calypso and Reggae. I was brought up like a typical West Indian. We also played Caribbean soccer. The combination of music and sports is a way of life in the Caribbean. These things inspire and bring people together.
So far, I have not produced any music although I did feature in a song We Heroes . These things are just for fun. At the end of the day, my number one priority is cricket.
On his love for poker
I have been appointed a brand ambassador of Adda52; I did some work with this online gaming site a couple of months ago. We cricketers always play poker. I play poker in my spare time and at the IPL too. I went to Goa, a couple of years ago, for a fun competition.
On getting noticed off-field
The media likes to pinpoint negative things that sell in the newspapers. They present controversial stuff and blow them out of proportion. They do not see the positive side. I also run the Chris Gayle Academy and Chris Gayle Foundation, where we inspire upcoming youngsters.
