Gayle to be brand ambassador of Vijay Mallya's liquor brand

MUMBAI: Swashbuckling opener Chris Gayle, signed up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the next two IPL seasons, will be the brand ambassador for scotch whiskey Whyte and Mackay of Vijay Mallya's UB Group, the owner of the cricket franchise.

The development may not go down well with the other franchises, sources said, as the left-handed batsman would be paid an additional $5,00,000 to be the brand ambassador by UB Group, but RCB's purse for buying other players at the IPL auction on February 4 would not be reduced accordingly.

"He was bought for $2 million and is to be paid separately for this. RCB would still have $2 million to spend on buying other players at this year's IPL auction (on February 4). The other franchises will not be happy with this," said the sources.

The former Windies captain, who joined RCB in 2011 IPL and became the highest scorer in the tournament, has been bought for $2 million, which would be deducted from the Bangalore franchise's purse at the auction. The amount that can be spent altogether is capped at $4 million.

Gayle, who has stopped playing for West Indies after falling out with the Caribbean nation's cricket board, was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first three IPL editions.

Glasgow's Whyte and Mackay, established in 1844, has been acquired by Mallya's United Breweries through its UK-based arm United Spirits Limited for 595 million pound sterling.