Chris Gayle urges young cricketers 'not to be so driven' to plan for life beyond cricket

West Indies limited-overs behemoth Chris Gayle recently talked about Test cricket in high regards, says the format allows an individual to test their skills and mental toughness. The burly Jamaican all-rounder also had some words of encouragement for aspiring youngsters who are looking forward to making a mark in the cricketing arena. In spite of being dubbed as an ODI and T20 expert, Chris Gayle has still represented West Indies in over 100 Test matches and is one of only four players in history to register two 300-plus scores in red-ball cricket.

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KXIP star Chris Gayle chats with his IPL 2020 teammate Mayank Agarwal

On Tuesday, June 23, Chris Gayle interacted with his Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) teammate from KXIP, Mayank Agarwal on BCCI’s online show Open Nets. The two cricketers have been part of the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) since IPL 2018 and are expected to reprise their roles in the now-postponed IPL 2020 season as well. In the show, Chris Gayle described Test cricket as “ultimate format” of the game and said it gives an individual a chance to learn on “how to live life”. He also said that playing a Test match for five days is “very challenging” and it teaches one how to rebound from a tough situation.

Chris Gayle further spoke about how it helps in honing skills and mental toughness before urging others to be dedicated while playing the sport. The 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup-winning cricketer also urged young cricketers not to be so driven and heartbroken if their cricket career does not work out for them and reminded them that there is always other opportunity awaiting in that case.

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KXIP teammates Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal, watch video

IPL 2020: Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle IPL salary in KXIP

During the IPL 2020 trading and transfer window, the KXIP franchise retained Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle along with 12 other cricketers from their squad of the previous season. They retained Agarwal for ₹1 crore (US$ 132,204). Meanwhile, the Gayle IPL salary turned out to be ₹2 crore (US$ 264,408) for the much-awaited IPL 2020 season.

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Image credits: IPLT20.COM