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In the midst of the ongoing Test series between England and India, former West Indies legend Chris Gayle has taken aim at England opener Ben Duckett for his recent comments regarding emerging Indian star Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Ben Duckett’s remarks
Notably, Duckett’s remarks came in the wake of Jaiswal’s impressive double hundred in the Rajkot Test, where he showcased his attacking style of play. Duckett attributed Jaiswal’s success to the influence of “Bazball,” implying that the England cricketing style had a role in shaping the young Indian batters’ approach.
Chris Gayle’s response
Gayle swiftly rebuffed Duckett’s comments, asserting that attacking cricket has been a part of the game for many years, long before his own international debut. The Universe Boss cited cricketing legends such as Viv Richards and Brian Lara as examples of players who epitomized attacking cricket, emphasizing that this style of play predates any contemporary influences.
“Attacking cricket has been played for years, even before Chris Gayle actually set foot on the international scene as well. We had the likes of Viv Richards, those guys set it up for us. Brian Lara, those guys are attacking players in all formats as well. When you actually check their stats, do check how they went about their innings,” said Gayle while speaking to AFP.
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Gayle hopes to see Yashasvi Jaiswal gets the freedom to express himself
Gayle went on to say that Jaiswal didn’t learn attacking cricket from England, insisting that the team management should not try to curb his aggressive nature. He also highlighted that Jaiswal’s attacking approach to the game was not something he learned from England, but rather a style he developed under the guidance of his coach and mentor, Jwala Singh. Gayle also expressed his hope that the young talent would be given the freedom to express himself on the field without unnecessary constraints.
“I don’t think he (Jaiswal) learned it from England. That style of play he developed with his coach and mentor (Jwala Singh). He’s just phenomenal. It’s like the guy has been playing for 20 years, unbelievable. I just hope he can keep it up. A lot will be expected of him as he goes on but they should just let him continue to flow. He’s an attacking player, you see that in his T20 cricket as well. That’s in his nature as well and they shouldn’t try to curb him or try to change him,” Gayle added.
