IPL 2020 - 5 veterans who prove age is just a number

#3 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle

Universe Boss Chris Gayle may have been in and out of the West Indies team over the past few years. However, he has been more or less a constant fixture in the IPL. In fact, starting 2009, he has featured in every edition of the IPL.

In the 2017, when he managed only 200 runs in nine matches at an average of 22.22, it seemed the maverick West Indian’s IPL days were over. However, Gayle shut his critics by smashing 368 runs in 11 games for Kings XI Punjab in 2008 at a strike rate of 146.03. He was the first centurion of the season, hitting an unbeaten 104 against Sunrisers Hyderabad off 63 balls.

In the 2019 season as well, he continued his good run for KXIP, with 490 runs in 13 games at a strike rate of 153.60. It was not surprising thus that the franchise retained him ahead of the 2020 auction.

Overall, 40-year-old Gayle has played 125 IPL matches, and has 4,484 runs to his name at a strike rate of 151.02 and an average of 41.13 with six hundreds and 28 fifties. He holds the record for the highest individual score in the IPL. Gayle smashed 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013. He has also hit the most sixes -- 326.

Apart from KXIP and RCB, Gayle has also represented Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.