Only I can revive West Indies cricket: Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle’s love for West Indies cricket can be seen when he speaks passionately about the region and its problems, for which the 44-year-old has a solution – himself. 

The name Chris Gayle is synonymous with West Indian cricket, because the man dubbed ‘The Universe Boss’ was part of the triumphant West Indies teams that lifted the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016 and has a host of records to his name.

These include, in no particular order, having scored the first T20I international hundred for any nation, back in 2007; the most runs for West Indies in ODIs (10,425) and the only double-century (215) for them in the format; as well as being one of only four Caribbean batsmen to get to 300 in Tests (and Gayle did it twice, which only Brian Lara managed to do).

In a T20I career spanning from 2006 to 2021, Gayle scored 1899 runs at an average of 27.92 and a strike-rate of 137.50 which sits him at second all-time for West Indies behind Nicholas Pooran. No West Indian has scored more than the two hundreds that Gayle and Evin Lewis have, and Gayle’s 14 half-centuries in the format are four more than the next best for West Indies. He struck 124 sixes, a record that was surpassed by Pooran during the ongoing 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, a campaign that ended this week when West Indies were beaten by South Africa to exit the tournament before the semi-finals. 

Gayle, 44, has had a fair share of rows with the powers that run West Indies cricket but wears his love for his region on his heart. So, when he starts to speak passionately about West Indian cricket, you are naturally inclined to listen. 

We are sitting on a park bench in the state of New York, during the T20 World Cup, for a podcast recorded for DafaNews. This World Cup is the first ICC tournament being held in the Caribbean since 2010, and according to Gayle, the entire competition should have been hosted by the West Indies and not split between the region and north America, which hosted 16 matches across New York, Dallas and Lauderhill. 

“This World Cup is very important for the Caribbean because we didn’t qualify for the 50-over World Cup last year in India. I don’t like the collab … the States and the Caribbean,” he says. “If the USA wants to host the World Cup by themselves, they can build a couple more stadiums and let them host it. If the World Cup is in the Caribbean, then it is the Caribbean’s World Cup. We are two-time world champions in T20 cricket and 50-over cricket, so we can host our own World Cup. We’ve done it before. Now the players have a lot to play for. They have so many faces to put smiles on within this T20 World Cup. They have to make sure, first and foremost, that they’re in the top four. If they don’t, it can do a lot more damage to cricket in the Caribbean. This is a very key moment for West Indies cricket. The players have to know how serious a T20 World Cup this is. I am backing them to go all the way and win it.”

That last statement from Gayle prompts me to ask him what can be done to get West Indies cricket back to the health it enjoyed for decades. Without a pause, Gayle leans in to give his answer. 

“What can be done about the West Indies? They only have one option right now …. There’s one chance, and that’s me,” he says, matter-of-factly yet in his own inimitable style. “I am the only one, but I just don’t have the time right now. I have the passion for West Indies cricket, I am married to West Indies cricket until death do us part. But I’ve got to sit down and really think about it, because I am the last straw that West Indies have. And I say that because I am. 

“There’s only one person who has that level of respect within West Indies cricket, from the players to anyone right up the chain. It’s just for me to say to myself ‘okay, Chris, I’m going to get into the system and put some things in place’ and I know I will have the full support of the players, without a doubt. But right now, I am just living life. That’s what I choose. I want to live life. I want to enjoy life. I’ve been playing cricket for over 20 years, I always have my West Indies cricket in my heart, I love them to death, and I will always support them. When they lose, I lose. When they win, I win. The last straw is not the [board] president, it’s not whosoever is in charge right now, it’s me. And it’s for me to decide when, and when I do, I will snap my fingers and say ‘yo, I am ready’. So, let’s see when I snap those fingers and who reacts to it.” 

Gayle is the most successful batsman across T20 cricket with 14,562 from 455 innings at an average of 36.22 and a strike-rate of 144.75, with 22 centuries and 88 half-centuries.