Chris Gayle hailed Virat Kohli as a legend and a phenomenal player, hoping the India star continues his international careerHe also praised Shai Hope after West Indies’ record chase against India.
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Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli (Photo: X)
Former West Indies batter Chris Gayle has heaped praise on Virat Kohli, describing the Indian star as a phenomenal player and expressing hope that he continues to play international cricket for as long as possible.
Gayle, who played alongside Kohli at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), was speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the World Championship of Legends (WCL)The former opener also spoke about West Indies’ record-breaking chase against India in the second T20I, praising Shai Hope and his teammates.
‘The man is a legend’: Gayle praises Kohli
Gayle believes Kohli’s contribution to cricket has earned him a special place in the gameThe former West Indies star also highlighted the Indian batter’s success in the IPL and his performances for the national team.
“The man is a legend, the man is unique, he is phenomenalI cannot find any other word to actually uplift Virat because, as I said, everybody is calling him the King Kohli, he has done so much for the game of cricket as well, and hopefully he can carry on as long as possible, especially in the international sceneHe has been dominant in the IPL as wellSo, like I said, great guy, great person.”
Kohli has continued to deliver strong performances in ODIsHe has scored 552 runs in nine innings this year at an average of 69, including two centuries and three half-centuriesDuring the recent series against West Indies, he scored 168 runs across three innings, including an unbeaten 139 in the first ODI.
With his focus now on the 50-over format, Kohli will look to remain in form as India prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Gayle praises West Indies’ record chase against India
Gayle also congratulated West Indies after they chased down India’s total of 249 in the second T20I to win by six wickets and level the five-match series 1-1.
Shai Hope led the chase with an unbeaten 102 off 45 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford smashed 84 from just 37 deliveriesRomario Shepherd added an unbeaten 34 as West Indies reached the target in 18.3 overs.
“I must say well done to Shai Hope, the captain, leading from the front, he is in superb form as wellI saw Rutherford got an 80-odd as well and Shepherd, you know, chipping in with some runsBut it is actually, you know, great for cricketBut I think the bowlers are a bit upset because 240, 250 becomes easy to chase down now in T20 cricket.”
Gayle points to dew and flat pitches
The former West Indies opener also spoke about the challenges bowlers face in modern T20 cricket, particularly on flat Indian pitches where dew can make gripping the ball difficult.
“The toss is very important because those wickets are very flat, and then you have the dew factor as well, so it is going to be even more difficult for bowlers to get the hold of that ball.”
Hope’s recent form has been impressive across formatsHe has scored multiple centuries in T20Is and remains one of West Indies’ leading run-scorers in the formatHe has enhanced his reputation as a vital player for the Caribbean side with his performances against India.
The West Indies will now look to build on their second T20I win as they continue their series against India.
