IPL 2021 | Chris Gaye feels Punjab Kings are using him and getting rid of him, says Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen has stated that Chris Gayle must have felt that the Punjab Kings are using him and getting rid of him. On Thursday, Gayle had announced that he will be leaving IPL 2021 bio-bubble to refresh himself mentally ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 17 in the UAE and Oman.
Punjab Kings batsman Chris Gayle on Thursday announced that he would like to take a break in Dubai and he is leaving the IPL bio-bubble for refreshing himself mentally. The West Indies batsman stated that over the last few months he has been part of various bio-bubbles and he needs to focus on the upcoming T20 World Cup which begins on October 17 in UAE and Oman.
Kevin Pietersen, who is on commentary duty in UAE for the IPL 2021, stated that Gayle must have felt like the Punjab Kings are using him and getting rid of him. He further added that the Punjab-based franchise did not give the West Indies opener a game on his 42nd birthday last month.
"He is not being treated right in his environment. He feels like they are using him and getting rid of him, using him and getting rid of him. Didn't play him on his birthday, cast him aside. If he is not happy, he is 42, let him do what he wants," Pietersen said on Star Sports.
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that the absence of Chris Gayle in the playing XI will be a big loss for the KL Rahul-led side. He further added that the left-hand batsman, who scored 193 runs from 10 matches in the ongoing season, is a game-changer who can change the course of a game in three overs.
"A game-changer like Chris Gayle, if he is not in the team, 100 percent it's a big loss. I think he is in and out of the team. I don't know what the calculations are.
"Clearly only 4 overseas players can play but sometimes when you see the player who has picked in his place, knowing what he has delivered in the past And sure, he is over 40 and he might not be able to do it at a consistent level that he used to do. But he is a game-changer. 3 overs of Gayle storm and the game is gone from the opposition," Gavaskar said.
Chris Gayle has amassed 4,965 runs from 142 matches at an average of 39.72 in IPL. The West Indies batsman also holds the record for the most number of sixes (357) and highest individual score (175*) in IPL.