We all know Chris Gayle, also commonly known as The Boss, Universe Boss, Gayle Storm, and other flattering nicknames. These are not nicknames given to just anyone, but belong to a man who we can safely consider to be one of the best cricketers to ever live.
We know of his batting, his cool and calm attitude, and his ability to produce some of the most incredible cricket records we have ever seen. But what about the man behind the legend? What kind of man is Chris Gayle actually, and is there anything new that we can learn about one of our century’s biggest cricket icons?
In this article, we will introduce you to 3 little-known facts about Chris Gayle.
Cricket rescued Gayle from a life on the streets
Even though Chris Gayle is one of the most wealthy cricketers of all time, he certainly wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Gayle’s father was a policeman, and his mother was a street vendor in Kingston, Jamaica.
Growing up, life wasn’t always easy for young Gayle who reportedly didn’t do very well in school. However, Chris had a fascination for the game of cricket which was empowered by his grandfather who was a local cricket legend.
Gayle’s interest in cricket grew, and he eventually joined the nursery at the Lucas Cricket Club in Jamaica. Chris Gayle attributes his understanding of cricket to his time at Lucas, and admits that if it wasn’t for Lucas Cricket Club, he probably would have ended up on the streets!
Gayle sponsors a betting site in India
Since March 2021, “The Boss” has represented an online betting site in India known as 10Cric on a 2 year deal as their brand ambassador.
Roping in Chris Gayle to act as the company’s official brand ambassador is a great scoop for a relatively unknown betting site in India.
Gayle has a huge following in India where he has appeared several times in the Indian Premier League for various teams, including Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Quick Fact: in 2011, Chris Gayle was awarded the Most Valuable Player in the IPL award.
In India, Chris is justly regarded as one of the best batsmen of all time, which is why his presence as brand ambassador for 10Cric will, no doubt, propel the betting company to become even more popular in the Indian market.
Gayle tried to seduce a female host on live television
In January 2016 while playing Big Bash cricket for the Melbourne Renegades, Gayle was interviewed by female Australian host Mel McLaughlin following a great performance by Gayle in a match against Hobart Hurricanes.
During the interview, Gayle claimed that the reason why he batted so well was so he could have an interview with Mel McLaughlin, followed by remarks such as “your eyes are beautiful; hopefully we can win this game and then we can have a drink after as well. Don’t blush, baby.”
Needless to say, these remarks did not go down well in Australia, where Gayle was criticised in large parts of the media as well as parts of the Australian cricket establishment.
Former Australian cricket captain Ian Chappell even encouraged Cricket Australia to ban Gayle from ever playing in the country again.
That didn’t happen, however, Gayle was forced by his club to make a statement and apologise for the incident, and then given a A$10,000 fine for inappropriate behavior.
