Chris Gayle was among the first few superstars who lit up the Indian Premier League with his exhilarating batting and massive sixes, which attracted huge crowds to the stadium.
With 4965 runs in 141 IPL innings, striking at 148.96, Gayle earned legendary status in the league's history -- a majority of it spent playing at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), forming a lethal trio with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
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In 2021, at 42, when he was still actively playing T20Is and league cricket, the Universe Boss was part of the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) group, having been released by the RCB.
Speaking of his time with PBKS, the former opener has opened up about a shockingly unfair treatment that had him break down in front of Anil Kumble.
What did Chris Gayle say about his time at Punjab Kings?
The Jamaican batter played for the KXIP from 2018 to 2021 and was their second-highest run-scorer during that period, scoring 1324 runs in 39 innings at a strike rate of 144.85 and an average of 37.82.
However, while speaking to Shubhankar Mishra about his premature end to the final IPL season in 2021, he reflected on the way the franchise was being run and an alleged mistreatment of a senior player like himself.
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"My IPL ended prematurely with Punjab. I was disrespected at Kings XI. I felt I wasn't treated properly as a senior who had done so much for the league and brought value. They treated me like a kid. For the first time in my life, I felt like getting into depression. I broke down talking to Anil Kumble because I was really hurt. I was disappointed with Anil and the way the franchise was run at the time," said Gayle
"KL Rahul even called me saying, 'Chris, stay, you'll play the next game'. But I just said, 'I wish you all the best,' and packed my bag, and walked out," he added.
After the incident, the former batter was never seen in the league for any franchise and retired from international cricket at the end of the T20 World Cup in 2021.
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Despite the differences, he was seen wearing a turban alongside an RCB jersey during the recent IPL final between his former teams, RCB and PBKS, to mark support for both.
Now, the batter is often seen making media appearances, working as an ambassador of the sport, and playing legends leagues whenever possible.
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