Over the years if there has been one thing that RCB has always proliferated at, that is choosing the right set of openers, and in fact, finding the most destructive ones of them all. One of the biggest names to have done the rounds in the opening slot for the Challengers was the Universe Boss, Christopher Henry Gayle.
The man came in mid-season after going unsold in the 2011 auction and announced his arrival in the most destructive forms, rocking and rolling the bowlers with a narrative that was unheard of in the antiquity of the IPL. He recently returned to Chinnaswamy as he was inducted into the RCB Hall of Fame alongside his fellow teammate, the South African icon, AB de Villiers. In an interaction between the two on the latest episode of the RCB Bold Diaries, the two RCB giants answered a flurry of questions that would win over countless hearts in a flash.
Here is what Chris Gayle had to say about his welcome to the RCB
Chris Gayle opened up on what he missed about RCB in one of the answers, stating, “What I miss most about RCB is the team’s environment. It was a fantastic environment and no matter what, we lose or we win, we were always together. We were sitting together always, whether it’s in a room or it’s in an afterparty. I miss that camaraderie. It’s fantastic how we built that bond, it was absolutely superb.”
He continued, “We were a very tight group. If we would fall unwell, everyone would respect each other which is really fantastic. I enjoyed each and every moment, especially when the first year when we actually arrived, that welcome was just fantastic.”
Talking about RCB and Chinnaswamy’s role in his life, Chris Gayle said, “It has played a huge part. Not only has it played a big part but it is one of the best venues that I have actually played at. The fans and the roar, the chants, they are absolutely fantastic. I get goosebumps when I play here. A lot of times, it has also got me into a lot of trouble. Because I have tried to please the crowd as much as I could.”
ABD narrates his love story for the Chinnaswamy stadium
The camera then spanned onto ABD as he was asked about what makes the Chinnaswamy effect on IPL so special. The Proteas batter said, “As you touched on it, it is like an incredible cricket ground. Same with me, as you mentioned that you would get yourself into trouble because you wanted to just bring out the best in us. It’s not a bad thing. The fans, the people, the team bus on the way, I would always remember those butterflies when I saw those fans going absolutely crazy.” He further added, “When we were about to enter the Chinnaswamy, the crowd would absolutely go berserk. The people are so close to the field that they would always bring out the best in us and they are always that pumped up. That energy in them was so contagious that it would rub off me and it would leave me all stoked up. So, yeah, great memories.”
