5 athletes from other sports who love cricket
Contrary to popular belief, cricket is loved and followed by a number of well-known athletes from other sports across the world. Some even played the sport well enough to make a name for themselves before switching to what they made history for.
Most of these athletes have been vocal about how much they love the sound of a batter crisply hitting the ball, as well as the sight of cherry rattling timber. And on that note, we take a look at five athletes who would have been superstars in the gentleman's game:
#1 England football captain Harry Kane
England football skipper and Tottenham Hotspur mainstay, Harry Kane loves cricket and has often been sighted playing it with his Tottenham teammates.
The striker is a self-confessed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fan and loves Virat Kohli. Ahead of the IPL 2022 season, Kane shared his two cents on the franchise in an interview with Star Sports. He said:
“So my team is RCB. I have been lucky enough to meet Virat Kohli a few times and speak with him. They have picked up some good players this time."
#2 Usain Bolt and his love for cricket
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Cricket was my first love after all 🙌🏽🙌🏽 https://t.co/7gIOg2ZHgE
The fastest man in the world can play some serious cricket. Usain Bolt has been vocal about his love for cricket and even shot a commercial with ace all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.
Bolt once said:
“My father is a huge fan, but when I got to higher secondary, I had two options - that or athletics."
During an interview with AFP, he recalled how his father gave him the nudge in the direction of athletics. He said:
“My dad said because of the system in Jamaica, it would be better to take up athletics. He said, 'You just have to run fast in athletics while it's tougher to get into the national team.'"
#3 Ian Thorpe
If not for swimming laps at a rapid pace, the Olympic great might have found himself hitting some booming sixes in the IPL. Cricket ran in Ian Thorpe's family, with his father, Ken, having played the sport for Sydney’s district team.
Thorpe, in an interview with The Asian Age, confessed his love for the sport and also the move. He said:
“I was okay with it … but I wasn’t passionate about it. As a kid, I used to watch my father play and it wasn’t a good experience to watch while fielding.”
#4 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might as well have played for his county as well as in the Vitality Blast. He played as a wicket-keeper for South-East Hampshire and was even offered a trial with Hampshire County. However, he decided to switch sports and chose the beautiful game instead.
The midfielder has never shied away from showcasing his skills with the willow and cherry. He played some glorious shots, appearing in a video with Joe Gomez, James Milner and Jordan Henderson, along with England cricketers Moeen Ali and James Anderson.
#5 Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
India's Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was born into a cricket-loving family and even played for his school, where a good outing also saw his name in the local newspaper.
The former shooting athlete's mother Manju Rathore told The Tribune:
“When he was in the ninth standard, we were in Jabalpur and he went to Indore to participate in a tournament.”
“That was the first time his photograph appeared in a newspaper. I still have the clipping of the photograph."