5 most popular Australian cricketers in India

There are several Australian cricketers who come across as bullish on the cricket field due to their overly aggressive approach towards the game, as a result of which they are not as liked by cricket fans across the world in comparison with players from other countries. In recent years, however, that has started changing, especially in India, perhaps due to the influence of the IPL which sees a lot of Australian cricketers in action. Here’s a look at 5 Australian cricketers who are very popular among Indian cricket fans:

#5 Glenn Maxwell

The hard-hitting Glenn Maxwell became quite a crowd favourite due to his explosive batting for the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL earlier this year. He played an instrumental part in his side reaching the final and was handy with the ball too, picking up wickets at crucial times. He scored a couple of 90s during the league stage encounters against the Chennai Super Kings, and those knocks helped his side win both the games

#4 Shane Warne

Possibly the best leg-spinner to have played the game, Shane Warne was a captain's trump card in whichever team he played for. He could turn the ball on any pitch, and he was a match-winner in every sense of the word.

The 45-year-old runs an organisation called the Shane Warne Foundation which assists those children who are in dire need of help. He is extremely popular in India due to his exploits in the inaugural IPL season where he led the Rajasthan Royals to a famous win, despite the squad not boasting of big names. He played a crucial role in the resurgence of Shane Watson as a cricketer and also played a key role in the emergence of Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan.

#3 Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh's actual middle name is Rodger, but on the cricket field, his middle name was certainly "tenacious". He wasn’t the most attractive batsman to watch, but he was as tough as nails while batting and has won many a crucial matches for his country.

In 1996, he had a chance to meet Mother Teresa and that influenced him to start his own organisation in India, called Udayan in Kolkata, which helps in providing basic amenities to children suffering from leprosy.

#2 Adam Gilchrist

There is no doubt that Adam Gilchrist was one of the most devastating cricketers to have played the game. He could take the game away from the opposition within a matter of overs and has won many matches for his country with the bat.

Off the field, the 43-year-old is the brand ambassador of the charity World Vision, and sponsors a boy whose father is no more. He is also popular among those who supported the now defunct Deccan Chargers as he led them to the IPL title in 2009 after the team had finished at the last position in 2008.

#1 Brett Lee

One of the fastest bowlers to have played the game, Brett Lee had the ability to win games on his own with his searing pace and he could rattle the best of batsmen on his day.

However, off the field, the 38-year-old is a very likeable personality and has quite a fan following in India. He wrote the lyrics of the song “You're the One for Me” and sang it with singer Asha Bhosle when he was in the country during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 . He has also opened a music academy, whose aim is to train underprivileged children in the field of music, and it has six centres across India.