Know Chris Gayle, a robust reminder of brutal hitting

New Delhi: Christopher Henry "Chris" Gayle was born on September 21 1979. The Jamaican started his cricket career with the famous Lucas Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica. He made his ODI debut in 1999 against India at Toronto. He graduated for longer version of the game in 2000 against Zimbabwe.Gayle is a robust reminder of brutal hitting another Caribbean Viv Richard once known for. A destructive batsman by nature he normally opens the innings when he plays for the West Indies. In July 2001, Gayle (175), together with Daren Ganga (89) established the record for opening partnerships at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo when they put on 214 together against Zimbabwe.He is one of only four players who have scored two triple centuries at Test level: 317 against South Africa in 2005, and 333 against Sri Lanka in 2010. He is known as a big hitter, often hitting sixes; in 2012 he became the first player to hit a six off the first ball of a Test match. Though technique and footwork aren't his greatest assets but his biggest strength is his outstanding hand-eye coordination, which allows him to hit even good-length deliveries for boundaries . He showed early signs of his liking for shorter format of the game by smashing the first century in Twenty20 internationals - a 57-ball 117 against South Africa in the World Twenty20 in 2007.Gayle is the third West Indian to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year, along with Vivian Richards and Brian Lara. He is one of only six players in One Day International history to have three or more scores of 150.Gayle has also been involved in controversies. In 2005, Gayle was dropped for the first Test against South Africa along with six other players following a dispute over sponsorship issues. He was charged with conduct contrary to the spirit of cricket during a Test against New Zealand in March 2006, but was subsequently found not guilty. Later that year.During Champions Trophy tournament in India, he was fined 30 percent of his match fee after repeated verbal exchanges with the Australian batsman Michael Clarke. He also publicly criticised the West Indies Cricket Board during the 2007 tour of England, which led to an official reprimand and warning. In April 2011 Gayle criticised the West Indies Cricket Board and coach Ottis Gibson and did not play for the team for more than a year..He is the first batsman to make a triple century century(317) against South Africa and up until Mahela Jayawardene made 374, it was the highest individual Test score against them. On 17 December 2009 in the Australia v West Indies 3rd Test Chris Gayle scored the fifth fastest century in Test match history. He reached the century in just 70 balls. In November 2012, during the First Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, Gayle became the first player to hit a six off the first ball in the history of Test cricket.Gayle had to be carried to a hospital after he complained of dizziness during a series against Australia. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect causing a cardiac dysrhythmia. He underwent heart surgery following the series to correct the defect.