'Want batters to destroy bowlers, and Rohit Sharma can do that', says Chris Gayle

Dehradun, Nov 26 (IANS) Former West Indies stalwart and Universe Boss Chris Gayle feels Indian captain Rohit Sharma will be a key player in the coming months for the Men In Blue in line for their preparation for the upcoming T20I World Cup.

The upcoming T20I World Cup is scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA in June 2024. And with the form Rohit and Virat Kohli have shown in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, Gayle says both Indian batting stars should get leverage on making the call on their future in the set-up since they have done a "lot for their country."

"Those guys have to make a call for themselves. If they want to play, why not? They have done a lot for the country and they deserve to make a call on themselves," Gayle said while speaking to IANS in a media roundtable on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket (LLC), where he is playing for Gujarat Giants.

Last month, Rohit broke Gayle's record for the most sixes across all formats. The former West Indies player lavished praise on the Indian captain for his "aggressive" style of batting.

Want to congratulate Rohit, he is a fantastic player and records are meant to be broken. I like his aggressive batting. I want batters to destroy bowlers, and Rohit Sharma is one of them who does that," Gayle told reporters here.

The Universe Boss also showered compliments on Virat Kohli, who recently surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most ODI centuries during the ODI World Cup.

Gayle, who played alongside Kohli for RCB in the IPL, acknowledged the feat, saying, "To get the 50 ODI century is unbelievable. It was just fantastic to break the record of a legendary player like Sachin Tendulkar. And I don't see anyone getting close to that record."

Having proven his mettle in international cricket, Gayle who is known for his six-hitting ability is aging like fine wine as far as his batting skills are concerned. And to open the batting alongside former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is nothing short of a dream for Gayle in the shortest format.

"Cricket is my life, it is in my blood and it has given me everything. So when you get a chance to play cricket in a league like Legends League Cricket (LLC), it's fantastic to be here. It is a win-win situation for everybody," Gayle told IANS.

"Good to be a part of LLC my second stint with them. Good share the dressing rooms with all the Legends of the game. I get to open the batting with Kallis, it is a great feeling," he signed off.