The flamboyant Chris Gayle believes he can do a lot of damage to the opposition in the Champions Trophy because conditions in India are well-suited for his batting and slow bowling.
"I am very much looking forward to playing here. The last time I came here a few years ago, I batted well in the one-dayers. Hopefully I can do well as a bowler as well this time," said Gayle.
On the flat subcontinent pitches, his off-spinners might very well be the key to containing the rampaging batsmen. But does he take his bowling seriously? Does he like to call himself an all-rounder?
"I am an all-rounder, man. I have over 5,000 runs and 100 wickets," pat comes the reply.
"I am a hard-hitting batsman. My bowling depends on the captain's needs, what he wants me to do."
Talking beyond cricket, Gayle says he has a laid back approach to life and being brought up in a family of cricketers helped nurturing his game.
"Chris Gayle is a laid back guy. A bit moody but also fun to be around. He sticks to 'work in your work time and socialise when you socialise' principle," he said.
"Gayle has no problem with others, and others have no problem with him."
He said the sport is in his veins.
"It is all in the family, man. I have five brothers, and four of them played for Jamaica. We are three left-handers and three right-handers," said the 27-year old, who also has a sister.
The gangling cricketer is one of the few players who has consistently performed for the West Indies during its period of decline in the late 1990s and the recent resurgence, and has established himself as a batsman whose name sends shivers down the spine of bowlers around the world.
"It has been a roller-coaster ride. I started as an opener but I have also batted in the middle. I have made steady progress.
"I have seen several partners during these years but I am still around. It has been good.
"As a unit, we have beaten some big teams although we lost a couple of series. Hopefully we will be the force that we were once again."
Gayle scored three centuries when West Indies won 4-3 against Sourav Ganguly's India in 2002-03. He seems to have his tail up at the mention of the
Indians. In 23 one-dayers against India he has scored 953 runs at 41.43 with four centuries.
Does he have a special liking to the Indian bowlers?
"I play to the situation. I don't target any bowlers. You have to be yourself all the time."
Gayle said that as a frontline batsman, he has carried some responsibility at all times.
"The responsibility to the team has been there always. But I don't let the pressure get to me."
He is not perturbed by the fact that West Indies, the holders of the Champions Trophy, have to go through the qualifying round.
"It feels a bit strange but you can't do anything about the format. You can't take any team for granted, you have to be on top of your game."
