Cricketing Quotes: Chris Gayle, Graeme Swann, Suresh Raina and Others

Graeme Swann, Kerry O'Keeffe, Suresh Raina,Chris Gayle and Mohammad Hafeez sportingly oblige their fans with quotes that make their day.

O'Keeffe makes a Phillip Hughes deal about "caught Martin Guptill bowled Chris Martin."

Swann is unapologetic to Kevin Pietersen and continues to term him non-captaincy material.

Raina may join Virender Sehwag in scoring runs, but not singing.

Gayle has the West Indian Cricket Board pegged as egoistic in its dealings with him.

And Hafeez professes to speak little or no gibberish.

Kerry O’Keeffe Has the Final Word on P. Hughes

What he said (via ESPN Cricinfo):

 "If P. Hughes is shaving tomorrow and gets a nick, M. Guptill will appear from the medicine cabinet with a Band-Aid."

ABC radio commentator Kerry O’Keeffe summed it up—succinctly—when Phillip Hughes departed once again in the second Test at Hobart: caught M. Guptill, bowled C. Martin.

This was the fourth instance in the two-match series that the Australian batting scorecard read as above.

The Tweetosphere was abuzz with reactions to Hughes’ unfortunate predilection.

Sample a couple via The Wall:

"Initially thought Chris Martin was giving Phil Hughes a send-off. Turns out he was giving him some batting tips.”

"If Phillip Hughes was cheating on his girlfriend, Guptill would be the one who caught him out!"

What he really meant:

“Nicks, cuts, Guptill, Martin and Hughes—The Inseparables.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Action replay! Action replay! Action replay!”

Chris Gayle Finds Ego Blocking His Way

What he said (via FoxSports):

"They have let ego get the better of them.”

Chris Gayle elucidates the continuing standoff between him and the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB).

Gayle said:

"

I would love to (be playing for the West Indies), but I cannot see it happening at this point in time.

They have let ego get the better of them. But, who knows what the future holds?

It’s a sad situation. I am at the top of my game at this particular time of my career, but I am not able to be taking part in international cricket.

Things are at a breakdown between the WICB and myself, and that is very unfortunate. But, a man has to do what a man has to do.

Cricket is my livelihood, and I am doing the best I can. I am exploring alternative routes for my career while this situation continues. I am happy with this. It is much better than sitting at home doing nothing.

"

Gayle will be making his debut for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL), partnering David Warner at the top of the order.

On Warner

Gayle believes that Warner is the best T20 batsman after him.

"

Apart from me? I have to give it to Warner. From the time he made his debut until now, he has been one of the most exciting batsmen in Twenty20 cricket. He is a beast. He is explosive and dangerous for any bowler. I was very happy to see him make his Test debut.

It is always good to see an attacking player like him at the top of the order.

"

What he really meant:

“It’s not my pride impeding progress; ergo, their ego.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Dr. Ernest Hilaire and I will be having a nice, quiet Christmas barbecue Down Under—this Christmas.”

Mohammad “The Professor” Hafeez Doesn’t Utter Nonsense

What he said (via The Independent):

“The reason is very simple: I don’t really speak nonsense.”

Mohammad Hafeez is The Professor to his Pakistani teammates because—as he puts it—he doesn’t “really speak nonsense.”

He is—to his colleagues—the best analyser in the side.

The 31-year-old is the third ODI player after Jacques Kallis and Sanath Jayasuriya to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 30 wickets in a calendar year.

Hafeez, though, considers himself a batsman first—his bowling is a welcome bonus.

Hafeez said:

"

Sometimes I laugh on it when people asked me whether I am batting or bowling all-rounder. Basically, I am a batsman. You know, my bowling is just a natural in me because as a batsman, I can understand the thinking of a batsman. That is reason I bowl much better in ODIs. I believe on dot balls, and that’s what I do and get wicket.

"

What he really meant:

“If my teammates say I’m smarter than them, well then, I must be. Thank you so much.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“What came first—the chicken or the egg?”

Graeme Swann Reiterates That Skippers Are to the Manner Born

What he said (via Daily Mail):

"It’s an honest book, and anyone reading it will realize that the one person getting assassinated in it is myself.”

Graeme Swann makes no apologies for his remarks concerning Kevin Pietersen’s leadership in his autobiography, The Breaks Are Off.

Speaking to Paul Newman, Swann said:

"

I completely stand by what I said that Kev is not a natural leader of men. I only know two people from my time who I’d put in that category. One is Stephen Fleming, and the other is Andrew Strauss. It’s that rare.

You can have good captains, but to be an absolute natural leader, like a Mike Brearley, is a rarity. I certainly don’t consider myself one when I’ve captained, and I don’t think Alastair Cook is. He’s a good captain, but it just doesn’t come as naturally to him. Straussy was born to be England captain. Fleming was born to be a captain. I just don’t think people took what I wrote in context.

"

Defending his frankness, Swann said:

"

What it boils down to is that it can be OK to do a book, but make sure you don’t say anything. And that’s not me. I would never forgive myself if I went through my career kowtowing to people and being a 'yes' man. And I would never have forgiven myself if I’d pulled my punches. It’s an honest book, and anyone reading it will realise that the one person getting assassinated in it is myself.

I rip myself to pieces because that’s how I feel about my career before it took off. I look back in embarrassment at a lot of it, and I want that to come across. I don’t want to pretend I’ve always been in the right, and everyone else has been wrong. I fully realise you’re responsible for everything in your life, and I live by that.

"

Swann added:

“When I wrote it, I didn’t think it was controversial in the slightest because I didn’t say anything in the book that I wouldn’t say in an interview. Some people who applaud me for being honest suddenly turned on me.”

What he really meant:

“Of course, I’m assuming my readers are perspicacious.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“My royalties are killing me.”

Suresh Raina Duets Not with Virender Sehwag

What he said (via Times Of India):

"No, I was only on 30 at that time. So, I did not."

Suresh Raina, unlike his batting partner, Virender Sehwag, preferred not to make a song-and-dance of his modest score—in comparison.

Raina was replying to a query whether he joined his illustrious senior in humming Kishore Kumar melodies during the Delhi blaster’s record-breaking 219 at Indore.

Raina said:

"He was playing very well with no tension. That day, he was singing some Kishore Kumar songs. He was not feeling any kind of tension."

The young southpaw was addressing the India Today Youth Summit.

What he really meant:

“I was left spellbound and breathless by Viru’s audacious shot-making. How could I?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’m a Mohammad Rafi fan.Ghazals are more my scene.”