Keeping all toilet seats down, sleeping in balcony - 5 weirdest things cricketers did before batting in a match
Cricketers have become quite popular because of the various T20 leagues and exciting ICC tournaments which happen frequently. Fan following of cricket has increased significantly over the last few years and cricketers of the modern era are known to have a bigger fan following than other athletes and even movie stars.
Batting is one of the most attractive things in cricket for viewers. Millions of fans tune in when the likes of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, or Rohit Sharma are batting in the middle.
However, cricketers are also human beings, and just like ordinary humans, a few cricketers have had their superstitions before coming out to bat.
Generally, the batter next in line is padded up and focused on the game before his chance to bat, but here's a list of the five weirdest things that cricketers did before batting in a match.
#1 Marnus Labuschagne fell asleep on the balcony
In the ongoing WTC Final between India and Australia, one of Australia's cricketers, Marnus Labuschagne, fell asleep on the balcony while Usman Khawaja and David Warner were batting in the middle.
Labuschagne woke up after Warner edged a delivery from Mohammed Siraj to wicket-keeper KS Bharat. The Australian batter, sleeping on the balcony, suddenly realized that it was his turn to go out and bat in the middle.
#2 Neil McKenzie kept all toilet seats down before going out to bat
Former South African batter Neil McKenize was quite superstitious. Before going out to bat in the middle, McKenzie would ensure that all the toilet seats in the dressing room were down. In addition, he wanted all the lights in the room to be turned off.
McKenzie also disclosed that he once taped his bat to the ceiling and then scored a hundred in his next inning. He followed that ritual for some matches after that ton.
#3 Kapil Dev took a shower
Many Indian cricket fans would know this story. Former Indian captain Kapil Dev was in the bathroom, taking a shower when it was his turn to go out and bat in the middle.
Five Indian cricketers lost their wickets early in the 1983 World Cup group stage match against Zimbabwe. Dev thought his teammates were joking when they knocked on his door and asked him to go to bat. When he opened the door, he quickly padded up and rushed to the middle. The all-rounder scored an unbeaten 175 runs in that match.
#4 When 5 cricketers helped Sourav Ganguly get ready to bat
During a Test match between India and South Africa at Cape Town in 2007, India lost two early wickets. Sachin Tendulkar was ready to go out next but the fourth umpire stopped him because he had been out of the ground for some time on Day 3 and could only go out to bat after five minutes.
When Sourav Ganguly was forced to come out to bat due to VVS Laxman taking a shower
READ: timesnownews.com/sports/cricket… https://t.co/UPN23KkV38
VVS Laxman was the next man India wanted to send, but he was busy showering. Hence, five other players helped Sourav Ganguly get ready quickly so that he could walk out. Aakash Chopra once narrated the incident on social media, saying:
"Now with VVS taking bath, Dada was the only person left to go in the middle. Sourav Ganguly, who was not ready at all for his batting. So someone was giving Dada his shirt, someone his trouser, and another person getting his bat. And two players were making him wear his pads."
#5 Rohit Sharma forgets his bat
Whenever a cricketer comes out to bat, he always has his bat in his hands. However, current Indian captain Rohit Sharma once forgot his bat in the dressing room while walking out during a practice match against Western Australia.
Sharma crossed the boundary rope and was wearing his gloves when someone from the dressing room called him and gave him his bat.