Happy Birthday Chris Gayle: When the 'Universe Boss' recalled his life altering heart surgery

Christopher Henry Gayle needs no introduction. Gayle, a destructive batsman from the West Indies, can single-handedly torment the opposition with his enormous strength and power. With his towering presence at the crease, Gayle has redefined limited-overs cricket, particularly in T20s, where he holds numerous records for his powerful hitting and high individual scores. Throughout his career, he has been a game-changer for both the West Indies and various franchise teams across the globe. 

Whether it is sharing a fun moment with Virat Kohli during his playing days with RCB or be it his dance moves Gangnam Style, Gayle never fails to entertain with his dance moves and calm demeanour. 

But life was not that easy for Gayle back in 2005 when he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect causing a heart dysrhythmia. Following that, he underwent an operation to repair a hole in his heart during the West Indies tour of Australia. 

"Nobody knows that I was diagnosed with a hole in my heart in Australia, not even my parents. I was forced to undergo surgery and I only informed my parents after the procedure,” Gayle said during the launch of his autobiography “Six Machine” in 2016. 

Back then, I realised the importance of life. It was a life-changing moment for me. he said.

As Gayle celebrates his 45th birthday today, let's look at some of the achievements Gayle has during his international career. 

Champions Trophy winner

Orange Cap winner twice (2011, 2012)

10,480 ODI runs

7215 Test runs

4,965 IPL runs. Fastest Century (30 Balls)

42 international hundreds 

2 triple hundreds in Tests

1 Double century in Odis