Sehwag saved IPL by picking me: Gayle

"Sehwag said in an interview: 'If Chris wins you two games, we have our money's worth'. I need to have a chat with him about that!" Gayle commented.

And he gave credit, in his inimitable laid-back style, to a fellow maverick batsman who like Gayle revolutionised cricket. "I think Virender Sehwag saved the IPL by picking me (in the January auctions)," said Gayle with a big smile. Everyone says I have a lot to prove. I am just here to put some respect on my name."

Not long afterwards, Sehwag tweeted the same, to which Gayle responded with 'Yes!" He smashed the first century of this season on Thursday to prove his worth. His spectacular unbeaten 104 -- with 11 sixes and one four sprayed around the ground off 63 balls -- helped the Punjab inflict the first defeat of the 2018 IPL on Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He has made only two appearances so far but has made it big both times. The opener blasted 63 off 33 balls in his side's win over Chennai Super Kings on the weekend.