"It is always honour to captain the West Indies." — Chris Gayle

How can you disrespect the West Indies when we were so dominant in world cricket for so long? We have to face it ourselves because our own board don't defend us.

I didn't want to be captain, I wanted to have more free time. I didn't want that added pressure at that particular time, but they actually insist, insist, insist, so I said OK. So I thought, just get on with it.

You start off slowly, getting 'better and 'better, getting that confidence in yourself. It brought that out of me which I had inside but, you know, didn't want to express it - but as a captain you have to.

Racism is not only in football, it's in cricket too. Even within teams as a black man, I get the end of the stick. Black and powerful. Black and proud.

As West Indians we have always been disrespected. As soon as we fight back they make it look like we are the bad one in the media. We've experienced these things over the years. So it's no surprise.

Even in Jamaica, your own country, coming into youth cricket you need to be from an upscale high school or have a light skin. As you get older you get used to the culture. My club, Lucas Cricket Club, was the only one to accept black people back in the day.

I have travelled the globe and experienced racial remarks towards me because I am black, believe me, the list goes on.

Showcase

Show all

It is always honour to captain the West Indies.