"He would challenge you to a race and beat you hands down" - KL Rahul on Chris Gayle's awe factor

Team India batter KL Rahul has termed West Indian legend Chris Gayle as someone who can be lightning quick if he wants to. He also stated that the power West Indies batters like him have sometimes feels really unfair.

Rahul got a chance to see and interact closely with the 'Universe Boss' in the IPL, first at the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and then at the Punjab Kings (PBKS), where he was the captain.

During an interaction on the chat show ‘Breakfast with Champions’, the 29-year-old opened up on his admiration for Gayle. Rahul said:

“The guy I saw in 2013 and the guy I last partied with in 2020 IPL season, his energy levels have just gone up. I’m like how do you do this? I’ve seen him hit a six from the toe of the bat. You know, it was a 70-72 meter six. Even if I hit it (the ball) from the middle of the bat, with great difficulty, it goes 75 meters. I was like ‘this is unfair’.

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain added that Gayle can easily beat fellow cricketers in a race. He explained:

“He would challenge you to a race and beat you hands down. Over 30 meters sprint, he will eat you up. He’s quick, he can move, when he wants to move. I’m like ‘Chris, what’s happening?’ He’s like, ‘No, I’m getting younger, I’m like fine wine’.”

On a serious note, he recalled the advice he received from the Caribbean legend after he was dropped for a series in West Indies despite doing well in the 2019 World Cup. Revealing what Gayle told him, he said:

“See you can always say that you're not playing because of 100 other reasons but it's in your hands whether you play or not. If 70 is not enough, get 150. If you are getting 150, get 200 if that's not enough. That's how you need to look at things. If a 600-run IPL season is not enough, then get 800. Or like you're getting 50s, 60s in the World Cup, you should have converted that and gotten 100-120s. Then no one has the power to drop you."

The right-handed batter has since made a stunning return to the national side and is a key member of all three formats of the game.

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“I am always watching videos of De Villiers” - KL Rahul on his favorite cricketer

Apart from Gayle, Rahul termed South African legend AB de Villiers as his favorite cricketer. He revealed that he watches videos of the retired Proteas batter before going on away tours. The cricketer elaborated:

“My kid in a candy store moment came in the 2013 season. It was my first year (with RCB) and that’s when I walked in and Virat (Kohli), Chris Gayle, Zaheer Khan and you know there’s so many. AB (de Villiers) was my favorite player and he still is one of my favorite players. I always go back and I am always watching videos of De Villiers. Just before going to South Africa, I watched AB de Villiers’ hundreds in South Africa. Before going to England, it was AB de Villiers in England, and like how he bats.”

However, he admitted to looking like an idiot in front of De Villiers every time he tried to strike up a conversation with his hero. Rahul stated:

“I have a very nice, cute relationship with AB. I look like an idiot trying to have a conversation with him after games in IPL. There’s so much I want to ask him, but I don’t know. It’s a proper fanboy moment with him.”

De Villiers retired from all forms of the game last year after representing RCB during the IPL 2021 edition.