West Indies T20 dynamite batsman, Chris Gayle, has fired back at recent comments from Sir Curtly Ambrose, saying he will not take disrespect from anyone adding that he had lost respect for the “fun guy.”
The 42-year-old Gayle has come under a storm of criticism over his age, form, fitness and selection in the West Indies T20 World Cup squad.
The most recent criticism came from Ambrose on the Mason and Guest radio programme where he said Gayle should not be an automatic choice in the playing XI.
Gayle responded on the Island Tea morning show saying, “I’ve seen some negativity being in the press from our past player and it’s very disappointing. We are in a World Cup and should be getting support from people who actually played for West Indies and did well for West Indies. Being negative before the tournament starts is not a good look.”
The left-handed opener singled out Ambrose and said, “Ambrose is a person high up the list of highly respected athletes that came into the West Indies team and Curtly Ambrose was such a fun person when I first came into West Indies team, I looked up to this man but, speaking from the heart, since he retired, I don’t know what he has against Chris Gayle because everything he is saying within the press, I don’t know if he is looking for attention…”
Gayle, who holds the record for the longest career in the format, spanning over 15 years asserted, “You can tell him that the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle has no respect for Curtly Ambrose whatsoever again. I’m finished with him. I mean we didn’t have anything going…and anytime I see Curtly Ambrose I would tell him that, stop being negative and support the team.”
Ambrose, in suggesting that Gayle should not be an automatic starter said, “The few home series (West Indies) just played, he had no scores of significance, and I have said before that if he did not do well in those home series, he should not go to the World Cup,” he reasoned.
Following those matches Gayle made 165 runs at an average of 18.33 in nine matches for first-time champions St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League and then scored 14 and one in the Indian Premier League before taking a break from the bubble to be fresh for the upcoming tournament.
Gayle said, “I am not going to take no crap from no senior player or no past player so I will let them know the hundred, so Curtly Ambrose, pull your socks up and the other rest of past players pull your socks up and support West Indies don’t act like you weren’t here before.”
The Jamaican compared the support other teams have been getting from their past players and questioned why West Indies could not get the same especially in a tournament of this nature that they have won twice.
West Indies will begin their title defence on October 23 against England.
