West Indies batter Chris Gayle on Tuesday (October 12) hit back at former pacer Curtly Ambrose, who recently questioned his selection in the national squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Gayle is part of the West Indies set-up to defend their T20 World Cup title in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 42-year-old was named in the 15-member squad last month despite his poor showing in T20Is this year.
The southpaw has scored only one half-century in 16 T20I innings in 2021 and Ambrose wasn’t pleased with his selection.
“No, he (Chris Gayle) is not an automatic choice for me. The few home series (West Indies) just played, he had no scores of significance, and I have said before that if he did not do well in those home series, he should not go to the World Cup,” Ambrose said on a radio talk show in Barbados last week.
Ambrose’s comments, however, haven’t gone down well with Gayle, who mentioned that he has "no respect" for the former player.
"I am speaking about Curtly Ambrose. I am singling out Curtly Ambrose, one of your own. I highly respected him when I came into the West Indies team," Gayle told The Island Tea Morning Show, a radio station in St Kitts.
"When I just joined the team, I looked up to this man. But I am now speaking from my heart. I don't know what, since he retired, what he had against Chris Gayle. Those negative things he has been saying within the press, I don't know if he is looking for attention, but he is getting the attention. So I am just giving back the attention which he requires and which he needs.
"I can tell you personally, and you can let him know that Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, have no respect for Curtly Ambrose whatsoever."
Gayle further said that he is finished with Ambrose and asked him to support the team just like how other former cricketers do.
“I am finished with Curtly Ambrose. I have no respect, any time I see him I will tell him as well — ‘Stop being negative, support the team ahead of the World Cup.’ This team has been selected and we need past players to support us. We need that, we don’t need negative energy. In other teams, their past players support their teams, why can’t our own support us in a big tournament like this?” Gayle remarked.
“We have won the tournament twice and we will be going for the third title. The team has seen what is happening. It is going to reflect on the team. If the past players continue being negative, I am Chris Gayle Universe Boss is going to be disrespectful, disrespectful verbally in their face. In the media as well. I am not going to take anything from any senior player. Curtly Ambrose pull your socks up, alright? Support for West Indies, ok? Support West Indies, that is the thing,” he concluded.
West Indies will start their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign against England in Dubai on October 23.
