• Source:JND
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IPL News: One of the most destructive batters in the world of Cricket, Chris Gayle has been a legend for the T20 format, scoring 4,965 runs alone in his Indian Premier League career. His highest individual score of 175 is a record that is still untouched in the history of the cash-rich league. Notably, Gayle scored all these runs as he was picked by three franchises in his entire IPL career - KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders), RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Punjab Kings.

He did not play multiple matches for KKR in the early years. He had a distinguished career for RCB as he became a fan favourite on the back of some solid performances. However, the Caribbean star also revealed he ‘felt like in a depression mode’ after being ‘disrespected’ by Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab).

“My IPL ended prematurely, you know, with Punjab, to be honest with you. Yeah, I mean absolutely, I mean I was disrespected in the franchise, Punjab Kings XI. You know, I felt like I wasn’t being treated properly for a senior guy who’s done so much for the league, you know, brought so much value to the franchise as well. And then you’re being disrespected and they treat you like a kid, you know, and then pretty much I’m just like… I felt like the building was on my shoulder. That’s the first time in my life I ever felt like a depression mode. So when people speak about depression, I can get a little sense of that and it wasn’t for me,” Gayle said in a podcast with Shubhankar Mishra.

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The T20 star from Jamaica smashed 3,420 runs while playing for RCB in 91 matches during his time with the team from 2011 to 2017 before being acquired by PBKS in 2018. PBKS had the services of Gayle in 41 matches, where he scored 1,339 runs with an average of 36 and a strike rate of 143.

In the 2021 IPL, Gayle took part in eight matches in India before the season was moved to the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the UAE segment, he only played two matches and decided to leave the IPL halfway through the season.

“So I know we are talking about… it’s our job, working, but at that stage, money at that stage… nothing. You don’t need money right there; your mental health is more important than money. I called Anil (Anil Kumble). I had a one-on-one discussion and said, ‘Listen, I’m leaving because, at the same time, I had the World Cup, and we were in a bubble, so you couldn’t come out, so your mental space was just going, it was just really, really puzzling and destroying you.’ I was destroyed inside and after the last game I played against Mumbai I’m like, ‘Yo, it doesn’t make sense. I’m going to do myself more damage rather than be at peace,’” Gayle further said.

Gayle also told Kumble that he was disappointed with him and the franchise.

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“So I called him and had a one-on-one talk with him, you know, actually broke down as well, literally a breakdown when I was talking to him because I was really hurt. Oh yeah, I cried and I was disappointed with Anil and how the entire thing was actually run, the franchise was actually run at that time, and I said, ‘Listen man, thank you.’ KL Rahul was the captain; he called me and said, ‘Yo Chris, you know, you want to stay, you’ll play the next game.’ And I said, ‘Listen to me, man, I wish you guys all the very best.’ I just packed my bag and I walked out,” Gayle said.