Former West Indies captain and legendary batter Sir Viv Richards has come hard at Jamaican star Chris Gayle for his stern words for fellow Antiguan Curtly Ambrose after the former West Indies fast bowler said that Gayle wouldn’t be his automatic pick in the West Indies XI for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The ‘Universe Boss’ had stated that he has no respect for Ambrose and that he is ‘finished’ with him.
Last week, Ambrose spoke about Gayle’s poor form going into the World Cup. Since the start of the 2021, Gayle has just scored 227 runs in 16 T20I at an average of 17.46 with a lone fifty under his name.
Richards backed Ambrose saying that the former bowler is entitled to voice his opinion and he commands respect for his achievements at the highest level of the game.
“It’s Curtly’s honest opinion and he is entitled to that and he is just as much as an achiever as Chris Gayle at the highest level and you should have respect for that. So when you hear it’s coming from an individual who would have also been an achiever and being a legend in the department of the sport we would have represented, you must have respect for that too,” Richards told Daily Observer.
Richards went on to say that Ambrose wasn’t the only one in the island, who was critical of Gayle’s selection in the T20 World Cup. The Antiguan also reposed his belief in Gayle’s abilities and urged him to use all the criticism as a motivation and prove people wrong via his performance.
“If I was Chris, the best positive way I could look at it would be to set my mind on what I would like to accomplish because it is not just Curtly. There are so many folks who would have had their criticisms about Chris being in the team. Chris is still a pretty good player in my opinion and at this point, that particular criticism must be used as a motivator. Prove people wrong and when you do that, that is what proper professionalism is all about,” said the former West Indies captain.
West Indies will begin their title defence with a Super 12 game against England on October 23.
