T20 World Cup 2021 | If Chris Gayle was a selector, he wouldn't have picked himself, feels Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik has stated that Chris Gayle is having a poor run in international cricket, and if the West Indian was a selector, he would not have picked himself. Karthik however added that the 'Universe Boss' is one of the greatest T20 batsmen, and it won't be an easy task to replace him.
The reigning champions West Indies have been knocked out of the T20 World Cup 2021, after three defeats from four matches at the Super 12 stage. Despite having a star-studded batting line-up, the Kieron Pollard-led side failed to outplay the opposition bowlers in the marquee event.
Chris Gayle, one of the experienced campaigners in the West Indies cricket team, did not have a great outing in the tournament as he managed to score only 45 runs from five matches at an average of 9. His scores at the ICC mega event read 13, 12, 4, 1, 15. The 42-year-old has scored only 272 runs from 21 matches at an average of 15.11 in the T20I format this year, and his lone half-century came against Australia in July.
Dinesh Karthik has opined that Chris Gayle wouldn't even pick himself in the playing XI after analyzing his own current form. Karthik felt that the Jamaican batsman has not done justice to his reputation during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021.
“Based on his (Gayle's) performances, if Gayle was a selector, he wouldn't have been picking himself. I don't think he has done justice to his reputation. He has played every game, but he has not played with the potential he has shown over a period of time. I think everybody knows that obviously you're getting older by the day and you have to look in another direction," Karthik said on Star Sports.
Karthik further reckoned that Chris Gayle is one of the greatest T20 batsman in the world, and it will be a difficult task for the West Indies to replace him. He also added that the Caribbean side will look at a young player who can fill in the boots of the "Universe Boss".
"Whether West Indies will look at a young opener and somebody who can fill his boots. Those are huge boots to fill in as well. Over a time he's arguably been the greatest T20 player in the world. So it's not easy to replace him. But the question is if you do want to look forward, then you have to move on. So that's the question that the West Indies selectors will be answering at the end of this World Cup for sure," Karthik added.
Overall, Chris Gayle has scored 1899 runs from 79 T20I matches at an average of 27.93. In all T20s, he has scored a staggering 14,306 runs from 452 outings with 22 hundreds.