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Chris Gayle: the man with no problem

Vijayawada Nov. 23. The effortless ease with which Christopher Henry Gayle has struck the cricket ball in the TVS Cup ODI series has been quite breathtaking.

The results have been stunning too. Three hundreds, at Nagpur (103 off 116 balls), Ahmedabad (140 off 127) and Baroda (101 off 107), flowed from this lithe southpaw's blade, as the ball either cleared the ropes or raced to the fence, the bowlers looking on in sheer helplessness.

``The West Indian team gained in confidence during the third Test in Kolkata, and we have carried on from there,'' said the 23-year-old Jamaican, here, on Saturday.

The aggressive opener revealed he has learnt a lot on this Indian tour. "It has been an educational experience. You have to concentrate, bat on different wickets. This has been a nice series for me, and I have played positive cricket.'' Gayle picks his stroke-filled 140 in the Ahmedabad one-dayer as his best effort.

The opener has dismissed the Indian attack ruthlessly in the ODI series, but says there were bowlers who tested him. "Javagal Srinath is an experienced bowler, a fine paceman. Murali Kartik has also bowled very well.''

The Jamaican's philosophy with the bat is simple - he will go for his strokes, hit through the line, and try to unsettle the bowlers, especially those with the new ball. "As a batsman you cannot allow the bowlers to settle down. Once that happens you are in trouble. In one-day cricket you have to make full use of the field restrictions during the first 15 overs.''

Gayle admits that on quite a few occasions, he has failed to build on starts. "I have got carried away sometimes, and I am working on that aspect of my game.''

His cricketing idol does not come as a surprise. It is one Brian Charles Lara. "I grew up watching him play, and he has remained an inspiration.'' He has a fondness for Indian captain Sourav Ganguly's ways at the crease too.

Gayle's big-hitting has, in some quarters, drawn comparisons with former West Indian captain Clive Llyod's approach. "He was a great player, I have no problems with that,'' is his response.

On the Indian tour, particularly in the ODIs, Gayle has combined wonderfully well with Wavell Hinds, his opening partner. "We share a good rapport and we both like to play our shots. With Hinds, no problem man.''

For the Indian bowlers though, they have been a huge problem.

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