“My IPL ended prematurely” - Chris Gayle reveals he was disrespected by Punjab Kings

Former West Indies opening batter Chris Gayle has revealed that he was disrespected by the Punjab Kings franchise during the IPL 2021 season. Notably, the Caribbean batting legend left the bio-bubble mid-way through the IPL 2021 season in the UAE.

Speaking exclusively on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Gayle also revealed that he went into depression for the first time in his life after the Punjab-based franchise disrespected him. Notably, Gayle last played the IPL in 2021 and didn’t return after leaving the IPL 2021 season mid-way.

“My IPL ended prematurely, you know, with Punjab, to be honest with you. Yeah, I mean absolutely, I mean I was disrespected in the franchise, Punjab Kings XI. You know, I felt like I wasn’t being treated properly for a senior guy who’s done so much for the league, you know, brought so much value to the franchise as well. And then you’re being disrespected and they treat you like a kid, you know, and then pretty much I’m just like… I felt like the building was on my shoulder. That’s the first time in my life I ever felt like a depression mode. So when people speak about depression, I can get a little sense of that and it wasn’t for me,” Gayle said in a podcast with Shubhankar Mishra.

“So I know we are talking about… it’s our job, working, but at that stage, money at that stage… nothing. You don’t need money right there; your mental health is more important than money. I called Anil (Anil Kumble). I had a one-on-one discussion and said, ‘Listen, I’m leaving because, at the same time, I had the World Cup, and we were in a bubble, so you couldn’t come out, so your mental space was just going, it was just really, really puzzling and destroying you.’ I was destroyed inside and after the last game I played against Mumbai I’m like, ‘Yo, it doesn’t make sense. I’m going to do myself more damage rather than be at peace,’” Gayle further said.

Notably, Gayle played for KKR in his first two IPL seasons from 2009 to 2011. He was later picked by the Bengaluru-based franchise in 2011 as a replacement player for Dirk Nannes. 

He represented the RCB franchise until the IPL 2017 season, amassing 3420 runs in 91 matches. He was later roped in by the PBKS franchise in 2018 as he went on to feature in 41 games, accumulating 1339 runs at an average of 36.

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