Watch the first ODI between New Zeland and Windies from 9.55pm on Monday on Sky Sports Cricket
Monday 18 December 2017 16:52, UK
Self-proclaimed "Universe Boss" Chris Gayle is an enigmatic figure within cricket who continues to exceed his own brilliance on the pitch.
In the Bangladesh Premier League final, the 38-year-old smashed a record-breaking 18 sixes in an unbeaten 146 off just 69 balls, his 20th century in T20 cricket.
With Gayle set to feature in the Windies' one-day international squad against New Zealand, which is being shown live on Sky Sports Cricket, we take look at a career that has at times defied logic...
In the spring of 2005, back before T20 cricket was a phenomenon, Gayle was a part of a Test side that included Brian Lara, who had just a year earlier tormented England in Antigua as he struck an unprecedented unbeaten 400 not out.
Not one to walk shyly in the shadows of others, Gayle returned to the same ground at St John's a year later to face a fierce South African side that included Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock.
Having seen the visitors score 588-6 declared in their first innings, with four of their batsmen hitting centuries, Gayle took 14 off the first over in the Windies innings before seeing his opening partner Wavell Hinds caught-and-bowled for a golden duck by Ntini.
The early loss mattered not for the former Worcestershire and Somerset batsman as he blazed 150 off just 149 balls and ended the third day unbeaten on 184. The then 26-year-old seemingly became more aware of the opportunity to surpass Lara's record and achieve the highest Test score.
Uncharacteristically, it took a further 313 balls for Gayle to pass 300, bettering Don Bradman's 299 not out as the highest individual score against the Proteas, but despite time being on his side, the weary opener surrendered to Monde Zondeki for a remarkable 317.
Even in 2005, Gayle was known for his brutal hitting and ability to wildly swing from ball one, but less for digging in and building an innings. And though the first part of his knock remained true to form, the most memorable part of his astonishing maiden triple hundred was his ability and determination to switch to a type of cricket he so rarely plays.
Undeniably for a man who enjoys breaking records, perhaps the failure to pass Lara's 400 stuck in the craw a little as time went by, and five years later Gayle set his sights on a unique Test record of becoming the first batsman to score two triple centuries.
This time, Sri Lanka were the unfortunate victims of a relentless onslaught as the Jamaican ploughed a lone furrow, with supporting cameos from the Windies top five, smashing 32 fours and eight sixes as he reached 300 for a second time in his Test career.
Though it played out in another drawn match, the feat was nonetheless an extraordinary exhibition of Gayle's talents and it is one he reminds the watching world of - and all of his many and varied teammates - by wearing the number 333 shirt for most of the teams for whom he plays.
At times, it seems as though T20 cricket was created for a player of Gayle's ilk - where batsman are actively taught to go for the big, sometimes rash, shots from ball one as there is so little time to build an innings.
Though many cricket purists were sceptical of the new brand, Gayle looked to propel the Windies to new levels of excellence, smashing the maiden century at the first match in newly-created World T20 tournament in Johannesburg in 2007.
Having been asked to bat first by the hosts, Gayle pummelled 100 off 50 balls having crashed five fours and nine sixes, before being caught behind off the bowling of Johan van der Wath for 117.
Sadly, as has often been the case when the prolific run-scorer has made his biggest scores, the Windies batsman did not finish on the winning side as Herschelle Gibbs (90no) and Justin Kemp's (46no) 120-run third-wicket stand saw South Africa sail to an eight-wicket victory with 14 balls to spare.
At the 2016 World T20, England were unfortunately not lucky enough to be on the end of a Gayle blitz but still walk away with a victory.
Having set the Windies 183 runs to win in their Super 10 match at the Wankhede Stadium, Gayle demolished the English attack as he became the first player to score two centuries in a World T20 tournament.
On that March evening, England found the opener in a relentless mood as he plundered 11 sixes in a faultless 47-ball unbeaten 100. It was Gayle's only innings of note during the tournament which was won by Windies, but it was one that will live long in the memory, especially in bowlers' minds.
In between those two exceptional knocks was possibly the greatest single show of strength, precision and brutality on a cricket field that has ever been witnessed.
Opening the batting for his Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gayle hammered the fastest century in T20 cricket at that point, off just 30 balls - which included eight fours and 11 sixes.
As he thrashed bowler after bowler out of the attack, RCB racked up the highest score in a T20 match as the Jamaican's 175 not out helped his IPL side to finish on an astounding 263-5.
At times, Gayle's feats look superhuman, as he pulls out a mammoth array of shots, hitting six after six that sail further and further into the night's sky. On that evening in front of 40,000 adoring fans at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium, he scored 17 maximums - a record he outdid in the BPL.
Though he spent time away from the international game as he played in domestic T20 tournaments across the globe, Gayle returned to the Windies side in England during the 2017 summer and showed he still has plenty to offer.
The one-day international in Bristol may be better remembered for off-field actions now, but Moeen Ali's brilliant century saw the hosts post an imposing 369-9.
With Gayle in his stride, the partisan crowd seemed worried that their side were about to watch the Windies talisman lead his side to another victory and but for an excellent run out by Adil Rashid on 94, there may not have been much celebrating needed that night.
Although his return to the global platform did not end in a manner the Kingston-born batsman would have hoped for, it was certainly a reminder that within him remains a desire and ability to perform on whichever stage he turns out at.
Of all the multiple records Gayle holds, his 20 three-figure knocks in T20s - 13 more than any other batsman - show that he is an artist with an incredible ability to make almost any attack sing to his own tune.
It would seem that as long as he has the appetite, he remains a formidable opponent and a much-coveted teammate.
Watch Chris Gayle in the first ODI between New Zealand and Windies live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9.55pm on Tuesday.
