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Chris Gayle has made a surprising revelation that has caught cricket fans off guard. The West Indies legend named present India probable as his favourite Indian cricketer over prominent stars like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul despite the Mumbai batter having played just six Test matches for India.
The former RCB and Punjab Kings star made this statement during a rapid-fire quiz on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel where he strongly advocated for the player’s inclusion in India’s Test squad. Gayle emphasized that the 27-year-old deserves a place in the team despite recent exclusions from major series.
Chris Gayle reveals his favourite Indian cricketer from his RCB days
Gayle didn’t hold back in criticizing the selectors’ decision to overlook his favourite Indian cricketer Sarfaraz Khan particularly despite the batter’s impressive performances. “He should be in the Test side. He should be in the Test squad at least you know. Scored a century against England at home not in the squad” Gayle stated while expressing his disappointment.
The Universe Boss was particularly vocal about fitness concerns being used against Sarfaraz highlighting the player’s recent 17-kilogram weight loss transformation.
“I saw a post a couple of days ago. He lost weight. The weight wasn’t even nothing was wrong with his weight or anything. He’s just fine. He was still scoring runs” Gayle remarked dismissing fitness as a selection criterion.
Gayle’s admiration stems from their shared time at RCB and Punjab Kings where their bond developed beyond cricket. The Caribbean legend has previously described Sarfaraz as being “like a son” to him and predicted his future success in Indian cricket as early as 2016.
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Former RCB teammate’s remarkable journey and current struggles
Sarfaraz’s cricket career has been a testament to perseverance and domestic dominance. The right-handed batter has amassed an impressive 4685 first-class runs in 55 matches averaging 65.98 with 16 centuries including multiple triple hundreds. His domestic record includes several standout performances that have consistently impressed cricket experts.
However his international career tells a different story. After making his Test debut against England in February 2024 Sarfaraz showed promise with three half-centuries in as many matches. His maiden Test century came against New Zealand in Bengaluru where he scored 150 runs showcasing his ability at the highest level.
Despite these achievements Sarfaraz has struggled to maintain his place in the Indian Test squad. He was benched throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia and subsequently excluded from the England tour squad. His recent quadriceps injury during the Buchi Babu Tournament has further complicated his comeback hopes forcing him out of the India A squad for the Australia series.
The timing of Sarfaraz’s injury setback couldn’t be worse as he was hoping to use the India A series as a platform to stake his claim for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. With players like Shreyas Iyer and Devdutt Padikkal getting opportunities in the India A setup his path back to the national team has become increasingly challenging.
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