Chris Gayle says never heard again from RCB after the team mentioned retention

Chris Gayle wants to win the IPL title with Kings XI Punjab

Bengaluru, April 30: West Indian batsman Chris Gayle, who now plays for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, said it was disappointing not to get retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore despite the franchise giving him signals to that effect.

"It was disappointing from that end, because they had called me. They wanted me in the team and I was told that I will be retained. But they never called back after that. So that gave me the impression that they didn't want me and it's fine," Gayle was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

"I can't fight with anyone. I think I had a wonderful CPL and BPL - where I scored two centuries for my side Rangpur Riders. The stats don't lie: 21 centuries, most number of sixes. If that doesn't put a stamp on brand Chris Gayle, I don't know what will," he said.
Gayle said it was surprising for him to wait till last round of IPL auction to get picked by a team.

"I'll be honest in admitting that it was very surprising for me to not get picked by any team. I don't know what went behind closed doors but I also understand that these things happen," said Gayle.

"It's just the way it is. But it's fine. I've moved on from it. Like I said, it's a great opportunity to be playing for King XI Punjab and so far I've had a great time. Perhaps it was supposed to happen, you know. King Gayle; destined to be playing for Kings XI Punjab."

From four matches, Gayle has so far scored 252 runs with a hundred and two fifties. However, Gayle was not perturbed by the possibility of not getting picked up by any team.

"Even though I was selected in the very last round of the auction, I wasn't really worried about it," he said. "Even if it was the end of it, there is a life beyond cricket, beyond the IPL.

"At some stage, you are going to walk away from the IPL and other forms of cricket... This is how I've always been, living in the present. But given the sense that I was picked up and playing for a new franchise, it was very pleasing," he said.

Gayle said his aims now are to win IPL 2018 for Punjab and the 2019 World Cup for the West Indies.

"Just two things: winning the IPL this year and the World Cup for West Indies next year. I believe West Indies have a big chance of winning the World Cup in 2019. I know we struggled in the qualifiers but now that we've made it, our next aim is to win it.

"But right now it's definitely the IPL. KXIP have never won it. Our owner Preity Zinta is so fantastic, so enthusiastic. The way she roots for her players is just amazing and I think she needs to lift the IPL trophy this year," Gayle said.