Lalit Modi Reveals Chat with Chris Gayle After IPL 2011 Auction Snub
Former cricket administrator and the mastermind behind the IPL, Lalit Modi, recently opened up about his chats with Chris Gayle before the West Indies star kicked off his first season with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2011.
After playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders during the 2009-10 seasons, Gayle struggled with his form, which led to him going unsold in the 2011 auction. Modi shared some insights from a phone call he had with the explosive opener just before the 2011 season began.
Midway through the season, Gayle was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as an injury replacement for Australian bowler Dirk Nannes. Modi recounted how he approached Vijay Mallya, the then-owner of RCB, to recommend Gayle after the player expressed his urgent need to join a team due to mounting debts and financial struggles.
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Gayle made a stunning debut for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, smashing an unbeaten 102 off just 55 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders. He followed that up with another incredible performance, scoring 107 off 49 balls against Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings), ultimately finishing the season with the Orange Cap after racking up 608 runs in 12 matches, helping RCB reach the finals.
In 2013, he set the record for the fastest T20 century, reaching the milestone in a mere 30 balls during his explosive 66-ball innings of 175 against the Pune Warriors.
Despite never lifting the trophy, Gayle has established himself as one of the most prolific overseas batters in IPL history, amassing 4,965 runs in 142 matches, including six centuries and two Orange Caps.