10 cricketers with popular YouTube channels
Until a few decades back, cricketers would have never imagined a video platform like YouTube, through which they could express their views candidly. Playing the gentleman’s game in those days was a means of earning a livelihood for most cricketers and an opportunity to fulfill their passion for many others.
As the popularity of the sport increased around the globe, cricketers started attaining star status, which meant a few brand endorsements and some additional moolah for the players. By the 90s, this had become a trend, especially in India, where the craze for cricket skyrocketed.
The advent of social media has added another intriguing dimension to the relationship between cricketers and fans. Autographs have now been replaced by selfies and direct interactions between players and their admirers on micro-blogging platforms like Twitter.
Cricketers who have turned analysts on YouTube
A number of cricketers, past and present, run their own YouTube channels and have developed an additional fan base due the the same. In this feature, we will you about 10 cricketers who are popular on the video-sharing platform.
(Spoiler Alert! You will find a lot of Indians and Pakistanis here.)
#1 Aakash Chopra
While he had a short international career, former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has gained recognition as an analyst and commentator post-retirement. His YouTube channel has only elevated his stature and fan base. A sane voice on cricket, Chopra’s videos mostly revolve around Indian cricket. He gives valuable insights into the game, both with regards to the technical and mental aspect. Even when he questions team tactics or decisions, Chopra does so without sounding over the top or offensive.
Aakash Chopra’s YouTube stats: Joined - Aug 10, 2011, subscribers - 2.66M, views - 480,430,627
# 2 Shoaib Akhtar
The qualities that made Shoaib Akhtar a hit during his playing days can be spotted in the former speedster’s YouTube videos as well. He is fiery, confrontational and wants to grab the limelight even when his mouth is doing all the talking instead of the cricket ball. He is often seen being critical of Pakistan’s cricketers and the management. There can only be one Shoaib Akhtar after all.
Shoaib Akhtar YouTube stats: Jan 29, 2019, subscribers - 2.67M, views - 231,715,095
#3 Ramiz Raja
Before joining YouTube, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja had already made a name for himself as an incisive commentator. A channel on the video sharing platform has augmented his fan base. Raja prefers to keep his videos short and sweet, but makes his point in a colloquial and, sometimes, cheeky tone. He leaves nothing to imagination.
Ramiz Raja’s YouTube stats: Joined - Jan 8, 2018, subscribers - 1.58M, views - 282,400,577
#4 Ravichandran Ashwin
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube channel is slightly different from the others. He prefers interacting in his native language Tamil, whenever possible, in his videos. Ashwin uses the platform smartly to talk cricket. Famous names like Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara and Sunil Gavaskar, among others, have made an appearance on his YouTube shows. The veteran cricketer’s videos are not just limited to cricket though. He discusses movies and other stuff as well and tries to keep the tone light-hearted.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube stats: Joined - Apr 17, 2020, subscribers - 713K, views - 46,016,062