Gayle described Flintoff as a ‘cartoon character’
'Ian Chappell how can you ban the Universe Boss? You'd have to ban cricket itself’
West Indies swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle has issued a stinging rebuke against former cricketers who launched a flurry of criticism against him over his infamous comments to a female journalist during last year's Big Bash League.
He had asked Network Ten journalist Mel McLaughlin out on a date during a broadcast interview before adding the 'Don't blush baby' remark.
The explosive 36-year-old southpaw was fined $7,500 and widely slammed for his inappropriate comments.
The Jamaican, however, subsequently offered a qualified apology to the reporter, but claimed that it was 'a simple joke' that was blown out of proportion.
Gayle, who seemed to be still offended by the criticism he received from former Australia players Chris Rogers and Ian Chappell and England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff over the incident, vented his anger in his new book, Six Machine: I Don't Like Cricket... I Love It.
Reflecting on the same, he observed that a throwaway comment in fun was turned into a major international incident by some of the former cricketers.
Following the incident, Flintoff wrote on Twitter, 'Big fan of @henrygayle but made himself look a bit of a chop there.'
Hitting back over his comments, Gayle described Flintoff as a ‘cartoon character’, adding that he was amazed to hear such comments from the one he used to trust.
'This coming from a man who admitted he took Viagra during a Test match. Freddie Flintstone, a young boy like you taking Viagra? Don't lecture me. The only chop Freddie knows is when he used to bowl short to me and I would chop him past backward point for four,' Gayle was quoted as saying by a cricket website.
He also launched a stunning attack on Ian Chappell and Chris Rogers.
Chappell had demanded Gayle's suspension from the BBL following the incident, while Rogers accused the Caribbean player of setting a bad example for his younger team-mates.
Pocking fun at Rogers, Gayle compared the former Australia opener with a rabbit and asked him to chew a carrot rather than pass pointless comments.
'Chris Rogers, how can you claim that when it was you and me at the bar most nights? I'm not a snitch, but I've heard from your own mouth what you've done. Next time you want to open your mouth, maybe chew on a carrot instead,' he added.
The maverick opener also lashed out at Chappell, saying that he is no one to demand for his ban, especially when he himself was convicted of unlawful assault for punching a cricket official in the West Indies.
'Ian Chappell, how can you ban the Universe Boss? You'd have to ban cricket itself,' he said.
Earlier this week, Gayle sparked another controversy after making tasteless remarks to a female reporter during a recent interview, which touched upon subjects like sex, women and equality.
