The highest scorer of T20 cricket, ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle, can tear apart any bowling attack on his day, sheerly with his brute power.
In his beloved Indian Premier League (IPL) many top bowling lineups often fell short of ideas while bowling at the dominant West Indian.
Also, Gayle has the record for the highest individual score in the IPL, where he scored 175* against Pune Warriors India. Further, two of the top five highest individual scores record belong to Gayle.
However, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spinner Harbhajan Singh, went on to state that he never faced any difficulty bowling to Gayle.
In fact, Bhajji asserted that Australian swashbuckler David Warner is more difficult to bowl to when compared with Gayle.
Dispensing few secrets of his trade in ESPNcricinfo’s The Cricket Monthly, Bhajji mentioned that Gayle would keep hitting deliveries bowled at a quick pace, but is uncomfortable hitting slower deliveries.
The veteran off-spinner then claimed that Warner was adept on the back foot, can sweep, switch-hit and hit the bowlers anywhere at will. Therefore, being more difficult to bowl at.
“He can switch-hit, he can sweep pretty nicely, he can hit you over cover. He can step out too,” said the 39-year old tweaker.
According to Bhajji, it is essential to keep varying pace against Warner, due to his supreme hitting abilities. And, also bowlers must control their body language and psyche while bowling to the Australian opener.
“Your body language, your eye contact has to be right. You cannot show him you are scared,” he said.
Over the years, Warner and Bhajji have locked horns on various occasions in the IPL. Warner was a discovery of Delhi Daredevils’ (now Delhi Capitals) scouts and then went on don the jersey of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The explosive opener received the Orange Cap in the 2019 edition of the IPL. Additionally, the Sunrisers went on to clinch their maiden IPL title in 2016, under the influential captaincy of Warner.
