Sample this: "I'm the best spinner in the world," Gayle proclaimed, when asked if his dodgy fitness will allow him to bowl. "I know you guys have not seen me for some time, but I have a secret weapon you know," he stressed, sarcasm written all over his face.
With his exploits in the IPL, Big Bash League and the Bangladesh Premier League, Gayle has become the face of T20 cricket around the world. Everyone expects an explosive innings from him each time he strides out to the wicket wielding his heavy Spartan willow. To put it simply: He is box-office material and he's aware of that. Cool he may be but scrutiny affects him. "It does create pressure to be there raising expectations. When you actually set a trend, people do want Chris Gayle to do well. That's what they pay for and want to see. But it's not going to happen all the time, but whenever I get a chance, I try and entertain people."
Entertain he did while scoring the first hundred in the history of T20 Internationals against South Africa at the Bull Ring in the opening game of the inaugural ICC World T20 in 2007. A repeat of that knock cannot be ruled out as the man is out there to prove a point to his critics who label him as a mercenary. "I am someone who can score a hundred in any condition and on any surface in the world," he proclaims.
The big-hitting batsman immediately puts on the mask of seriousness though when asked to comment on the favourites. "There are at least six teams that can win the title," he says even as he laments about Kieron Pollard's absence. "We will miss him. He has done wonders for us with both bat and ball. Thankfully, we have 12 guys who played in the World Cup-winning side (in 2012) and we are backing one other to do the job," he stresses.
The jester in him resurfaces when asked about the dance moves he has in store for the crowds in Bangladesh. "Where were you," he says, putting an arm around the scribe who quizzed him. "I just did a new dance in my press conference for the electronic media. Now, watch it on TV. It will be on air in two days' time. I will dance for the public in my 100th Test in Jamaica when we play against New Zealand," he promised.
The session ended with another gem that nearly brought the house down and had the cricketer himself in splits. "Did someone poop," he quizzed, when someone in the room found it difficult to excuse himself in time and succumbed to flatulence.
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