IPL 2021: ‘How long can you go on if Chris Gayle is not firing,’ asks Ajit Agarkar

IPL 2021: ‘How long can you go on if Chris Gayle is not firing,’ asks Ajit Agarkar

Ajit Agarkar and Chris Gayle

Punjab Kings (PBKS) batsman Chris Gayle looked in red-hot form during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. However, he has failed to continue emulating his performance in the ongoing edition so far. Gayle got out for low scores apart from one good knock of 40 runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar also mentioned that PBKS need to introspect about how many more chances they’ll give to Gayle to regain his lost form. 

Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Ajit said, “I don’t know, he started well. He got 40 in the first game. The challenge with Chris Gayle is that he did not play the first few games last season and then came back and he was as good as ever.

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“So I can understand it is a difficult decision to sit him out. If he is it and when he has done well, you always want to accommodate him. How long can you go on if he is not firing, especially at this stage of his career?” he asked.

‘Punjab might consider playing Dawid Malan’: Agarkar

Dawid Malan
Dawid Malan

Not just Gayle, another key member of the PBKS camp, Nicholas Pooran is also going through a miserable run at IPL 2021. The West Indies batsman has three ducks to his name in four games so far in the tournament. Ajit Agarkar suggested that the Punjab-based franchise can try Dawid Malan ahead of their other two foreign batsmen. 

“Their problem is that Nicholas Pooran is not scoring runs either, who they must have had high hopes from. It’s a tricky one. I don’t know how long they can keep playing Chris Gayle if he is not getting runs.

“But at this stage, do you look at someone like Dawid Malan, who is sitting outside at the moment. But overall, they also have to bat better. Chris Gayle is just one of the guys who played a poor shot,” Agarkar concluded.

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