Lot of bowlers have lost a sleep knowing that they have to bowl to Gayle: Jacques Kallis

T20 Global League is the latest addition to the list of top drawer T20 tournaments played around the world and no league gets that status unless it features the big names. There is no name that draws more attention to a league than the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle. He has been signed up by the Cape Town Knight Riders team in the T20 GL and head coach Jacques Kallis is all excited to have the big man on board.

CTKR being a part of the Knight Riders family is the second Knights team Gayle will feature for having been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the initial part of the Indian Premier League. Kallis too has had a long association with KR first as a player and now as the head coach of the team in the IPL.

Chilled guy

The former South African all-rounder termed Gayle a chilled guy and someone who doesn’t need to prove anyone anything rather wants to just enjoy his game.

“He’s actually a very chilled guy,” Kallis said while interacting with the reporters at the official launch event of the team in Newlands. “He’s at a stage of his career now, not that he needs to prove anything, but he wants to show that he’s still one of the best T20 players around.

Kallis is pleased with the efforts he has been putting in to maintain his fitness and his performance in the Caribbean Premier League where he plays for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots franchise.

Fit as ever

“He is fit as ever, he’s been training hard. He’s done well now in the CPL (Caribbean Premier League), and I know there are lot of bowlers in South Africa who have lost a night’s sleep knowing that they have to bowl to Chris Gayle. That’s certainly not going to change anytime soon and hopefully he can hit some form and get us off to some flyers in the tournament,” the CTKR coach added.

The team will play the tournament opener against Pretoria Mavericks at Newlands on 3 November and Kallis cannot hide his excitement.

“It’s going to be a fantastic game. I can’t wait for it now. If we can get a packed Newlands, it is going to be wonderful atmosphere. I haven’t been involved in (Cape) Cobras cricket for four years, so it is nice to come back and be in charge of a Cape Town team,” he concluded.