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CHRIS Gayle may be the most important individual at the World Cup in the sense that no team needs their main man to fire as desperately as the West Indies do.
Without the charismatic left-hander bringing his explosive talent, vast experience and intimidating matchwinning potential to bear, it is difficult to see the troubled islanders making any meaningful impact.
But already its not happening.
Against Ireland, Gayle wasn't quite the dead loss he had been during the warm-up games and before that during a one-day series against South Africa, but his 36 off 65 balls was a non-event that did nothing to avert the ensuing embarrassment.
It's not in the scorebook but just before the Irishmen hit the winning runs he misfielded a simple ground ball, giving the impression — fairly or not — his head was already back in the bar.
Even the best cricketers can't be expected to dominate day in and day out on demand — witness England captain Eoin Morgan's two runs in his last five knocks — but Gayle seems to be in a permanent state of rebellion, boredom and disrespect for the game that has made him rich and famous.
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Scorer of two Test triple centuries and more than 10,000 one-day runs in a long and hugely entertaining career, he can certainly bat like few others, but his capacity for causing problems is well-honed too.
Most recently, he has been railing against the selectors for dropping former captain Dwane Bravo and Kieron Pollard, two senior players involved in last year's damaging walkout from a tour of India.
Gayle says the "ridiculous" decision amounts to victimisation.
He has been a law to himself since arriving in Australia, partying in Sydney nightclubs and avoiding a commitment to do a press conference, where the media manager then opted to ban questions about him being put to rookie captain Jason Holder.
The sporting mantra that no individual is bigger than any team doesn't seem to apply.
Coming off ODI scores of 41, 19, 1 and 0 in South Africa, Gayle then made 0 and 1 in warm-ups against England and Scotland. Both ducks were first ball and he has now gone 18 ODI innings without a century.
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Commentator Tony Cozier, the voice of West Indies cricket, has spelt out how crucial it was for Gayle to lead the way on and off the field.
"His influence in the dressing room is as significant as his intimidation of bowlers," Cozier wrote on ESPN Cricinfo before the Ireland debacle.
"Younger players regard Gayle's ability to devastate opposing attacks with awe. As such, he remains the talisman of a team languishing at No 8 in the ICC rankings and short of self-belief."
Cozier said Gayle, 35 — "fully focused on parading his talent for the last time on a global stage" — should be not only a buccaneering opening batsman but a motivator and adviser, especially to Holder, 23, the World Cup's youngest and least experienced captain.
"No professional cricketer can be satisfied with such a slump, no matter how distressed he is over a matter outside his control. Perhaps the thrill of the World Cup will rekindle his desire," Cozier wrote.
Legendary old hands such as selection chief Clive Lloyd and team manager Richie Richardson _ not to mention Holder — can only hope so.
ron.reed@news.com.au
Twitter: @Reedrw
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