Brendon McCullum could hit 158* vs RCB only due to Chris Gayle's absence: Murali Kartik

Former New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum's 158* on opening night of IPL on April 18, 2008 skyrocketed potential that vel tournament had, into ar orbit. T20 cricket was a relatively new concept in 2008 when that first match of IPL was played. But Brendon McCullum's kck expanded horizon for what was possible in cricket. 12 years later, IPL is biggest cricket tournament in world and many experts believe that it was that Brendon McCullum 158 kck that changed it all.

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Brendon McCullum 158: Chris Gayle's absence gave McCullum his chance

In an article by Cricbuzz, it is revealed how Brendon McCullum was ironically struggling in nets before maiden match of inaugural IPL. Ex-RCB batsman Wasim Jaffer recounted how  team's strike bowler Zaheer Khan and him saw McCullum get out to every second ball bowled to him in nets on eve of game and believed that he was a walking wicket. McCullum's n-teammate and former India left-arm spinner Murali Kartik testified to that claim, adding that it was only due to fact that ir KKR teammate Chris Gayle was to arrive in India late that Kiwi got opportunity to open alongside Sourav Ganguly in first match of IPL.

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Brendon McCullum 158: How Chris Gayle allowed McCullum to set record he eventually broke

Brendon McCullum looked particularly nervous in his first six balls of IPL. However, a mistimed shot that flew off his bat to become first six of IPL, seemingly changed complexion of game. McCullum took entire RCB attack to cleaners with sublime strokemaking that left many purists of game stunned. McCullum t only tonked a seldom-occuring T20 hundred but smashed likes of Jacques Kallis and Praveen Kumar for more than 40 runs in final two overs to take his own score past 150-mark. His total still remains one of most daunting IPL kcks to have ever been played.

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It is ironic that biggest innings of McCullum's career happened because of Chris Gayle's absence and it was Gayle, himself, who broke McCullum's record, five years later, when he smoked erstwhile Pune Warriors India for 175* at very same ground. Murali Kartik happened to be in same team as Gayle, as well, when West Indian broke McCullum's record. Cricbuzz quoted Kartik reflecting on how he and his RCB teammates could see Gayle's 175* coming but McCullum's 158* happened at a time where it seemed far outside realm of possibilities for batsman himself and fans alike.

Brendon McCullum played 109 IPL matches and scored 2880 runs. He went on to captain KKR side in IPL 2009. His 158* remained his highest IPL score throughout his 10-year-long IPL career. He won IPL title with KKR in 2012. He is w head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders.

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