Sachin Tendulkar, Indian batting superstar believes that Kings XI Punjab batsman Chris Gayle’s addition to the side has been the turning point for the franchise who have won 4 consecutive matches. He also said that the Jamaican is a very smart cricketer who does not depend solely on brute force.
Earlier in this IPL season, KXIP lost 6 matches out of their first seven games. But they now have won four games on the trot since Chris Gayle’s entry into the playing XI. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have been two of the most consistent batsmen in the IPL by being among leading run-scorers and Nicholas Pooran has also shown glimpses of his brilliance with the bat.
KL Rahul And Chris Gayle
Sachin Tendulkar: Chris Gayle Brought A Lot Of Energy In The Team And Has A Positive Impact
But Sachin Tendulkar stated that it is the addition of Chris Gayle to the side that has made all the difference for KXIP by bringing energy and confidence in the team since he has a positive impact on the team.
“Well, he (Chris Gayle) has brought a lot of energy in the team and there are certain players with the way they play, their style, the statement they make with the hard-hitting shots. It has a positive impact on the team and that is exactly what has happened. Although I know KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have been batting well. Nicholas Pooran is another dangerous guy and the addition of Chris Gayle makes a dangerous batting line-up,” Sachin Tendulkar said in a video uploaded on his social media.
Sachin Tendulkar also remarked that Chris Gayle was not someone who doesn’t attack from the very first ball itself. He noted that Chris Gayle first reads the conditions of the pitch and identifies the bowlers that can be targeted.
Sachin Tendulkar. Image Credit: Getty Images.
If he senses that a bowler is bowling well, he doesn’t mind playing out his over without scoring bulk runs through boundaries because he has the ability to make up for it by targeting someone else.
Chris Gayle Is Smart And Clever Besides Being A Big Hitter – Sachin Tendulkar
Hence Sachin Tendulkar felt that Chris Gayle was a very shrewd batsman out in the middle as he was smart enough by selecting a bowler to target besides understanding the surface and abilities of a bowler.
“When it comes to Gayle, people only talk about his big-hitting that everyone knows. Many guys don’t know one thing that Gayle is a very very smart player. He is a big-hitter no doubt, but he is a smart player and a clever guy,” Sachin Tendulkar said.
Chris Gayle
“He understands the surface, he reads the pace and the bounce of the surface and what the bowler is good at and when he realizes there is a bowler whom he can target, he goes all out after them and that would be the strategy throughout the tournament because that is what I have noticed throughout. He is a smart guy,” he further added.
In their next game, KXIP will play against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah on Monday and will be hopeful that Chris Gayle can fire on all cylinders and play a whirlwind cameo or a big innings, pushing them one step closer to the IPL 2020 playoffs.
