10 least injury-prone players in cricket 

The importance fitness in any sport cannot be stressed enough. The fitter you are, the better you play and the longer you play. Fitness leads to flexibility, endurance and strength which plays a big role in the present day sport.

In Cricket, fitness has become a part and a regular routine of every cricketer’s life. Different cricketers follow different fitness regimes in order to stay injury free and maintain their physiques. To perform well and have that extra edge, players have realised the importance of staying fit.

Longevity is key in any sport and cricket is no different. Players strive to stay injury-free so that they can last for that time. There have been quite a few players in the history of the game who managed to keep themselves injury-free for a long period.

Meet 10 such players of recent times who are least injury-prone.

#10 Virat Kohli

It is no secret that Virat Kohli is one of the fittest cricketers today. In fact, he sets very high standards for himself and he has created a benchmark of sorts for the entire Indian team. Kohli has often said he credits his on-field success to his work-ethics off the field and how he maintains his body and takes his fitness regime very seriously.

Kohli who was a chubby cricketer when he first stepped on to international cricket, realised fitness is a key attribute of the sport after an ordinary IPL in 2012. Kohli has played 54 consecutive Tests between November 2011 and March 2017.

In March this year, Kohli missed a Test against Australia (4th Test in Dharamshala) owing to a shoulder injury which he sustained while fielding in the 3rd Test at Ranchi. He had sprinted about 35-40 metres and put in a dive in order to save a boundary. As he dived, he landed heavily on his right shoulder. This was the only instance where Kohli missed a game due to injury.

The Indian captain, who has now played international cricket for 9 years, has managed to stay fit and has been a very important member of the Indian side.

#9 MS Dhoni

Dhoni shows super quick reflexes behind the stumps

If Virat Kohli is the fitness freak of the Indian team, former captain MS Dhoni is not far behind. Though he does not show it, he too follows a strict fitness routine.

Dhoni has stayed injury-free for most parts of his career. It was only in 2013 and 2014, he was a bit unfortunate. In 2013, in the first match of the Tri-series in the West Indies, Dhoni injured his right hamstring while batting. While he was ruled out of the entire series, he made an unlikely comeback in the final and scored a match-winning 45 to help India clinch the Tri-series.

Before this injury, he played a staggering 344 games (all formats), the most by any player since his debut. In February 2014, Dhoni suffered a side strain which he had picked up in New Zealand and this which resulted in him missing the entire Asia Cup. In November 2014, he suffered a hairline crack in his thumb and he missed the ODI series against Sri Lanka and the first Test of India’s tour of Australia.

Dhoni, who is in the twilight of his career, gives a lot of importance to fitness and is expected to feature in the 2019 World Cup as well.

#8 Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook is England’s Mr Consistent in Tests. He is England’s leading run-getter in the longest form of the game. Cook has an extraordinary ability to learn and adapt to different and adverse conditions.

The opener has a unique but a proud record to his name. He has featured in 144 consecutive Test matches for England which is the second longest streak for most consecutive Tests behind Allan Border’s 156 Tests. And by the looks of it, Cook is set to break that record. Out of these 144 Test matches, Cook has captained the team in 59 Tests which is a record in itself (most matches as captain for England in Tests).

Cook is 32 years old now and if he plays for another four years, he can close-in on Tendulkar’s all-time record.

#7 Adam Gilchrist

Gilchrist was a very agile keeper

Adam Gilchrist, fondly known as Gilly, was one of the most prominent members of the Australian team that dominated world cricket in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The attacking wicketkeeper batsman always made a big impact with his batting and keeping.

Gilchrist, who was Australia’s keeper for 12 years, proved staying injury-free is possible. He played 96 consecutive Tests from since Test debut which was a world record until AB de Villiers (98) and Brendon McCullum (101) broke his record.

Gilchrist also played 97 consecutive ODIs between May 1997 and January 2001. His ability to open the batting in ODIs even after keeping 50 overs showcased his fitness tenacity. Apart from being one of the most attacking cricketers, Gilly was one of the most honest players as he never waited for the umpire’s decision if he nicked the ball.

#6 Brendon McCullum

McCullum was a very acrobatic fielder

Brendon McCullum is one of most explosive players the game has ever seen. Even though he has retired from international cricket, he still plays in global T20 leagues around the world. He was one of the fittest New Zealand players.

McCullum holds the record for most consecutive Test matches (101) played following his debut. He broke AB de Villiers’ record in December 2015. His only injury issue was his back problems, which made him give up wicket keeping.

In this year’s IPL, he sustained a hamstring injury which ruled him out for the last three games of Gujarat Lion’s campaign. He still is one of the best fielders going around which shows he still has the agility and incredible fitness levels.

#5 Michael Hussey

Mr Cricket

Michael Hussey, who earned the tag of ‘Mr. Cricket’ because of his impressive consistency across all formats, was a relatively late entrant in the Australian team, debuting at 28 years (ODIs) and 30 years (Tests). He quickly became the finisher Australia were looking for after Michael Bevan’s retirement.

He made the No. 6 position his own in both ODIs as well as Tests. He played 79 consecutive Tests for Australia and never missed a Test match since his debut. The only time he missed international cricket was when he suffered a hamstring injury in 2011 just before the World Cup.

He was axed from the team since the selectors thought he might not recover completely. But he later joined the team in World Cup as Doug Bollinger’s replacement. He retired from international cricket in January 2013 but continued playing in T20 leagues and ended his career with a big bash trophy leading the Sydney Thunder to the title in the 2015-16 season.

#4 Rahul Dravid

The Wall

‘The Wall’ Rahul Dravid was always known for his grit, determination and concentration. He could bat and do so for hours together. He kept himself very fit. He was one of the best slip fielders and had the ability to move swiftly, show quick reflexes when required.

He played 94 consecutive Test matches (93 for India and 1 for World XI) since his debut in 1996 and missed a Test in December 2005 due to gastroenteritis. He also broke his jaw in 2010 while batting against Bangladesh in a Test match as he was hit by a Shadat Hossain bouncer, but other than these two occasions, Dravid never missed a Test match for India owing to injury.

#3 Hashim Amla

Amla is a prolific scorer in all formats of the game.

Hashim Amla is one of the finest stroke-makers in the modern game. His supple wrists are a treat to watch. And he has very seldom missed any form of cricket. The only time Amla missed a few games (1 Test and 2 ODIs) for South Africa was in 2013 when he flew back home (from UAE) for the birth of his child.

Amla has been a prolific run-scorer for the Proteas and he is one of the key members of the side in all three formats and has also managed to remain injury free of most parts of his career.

#2 Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev was an aggressive batsman and an energetic bowler

The 1983 World Cup winning captain, Kapil Dev was probably the greatest allrounder India has ever produced. He was one of the fittest cricketers during his generation and one of the most energetic players on the field.

Kapil Dev never missed an international game due to injury. He played 66 consecutive Test matches before he was surprisingly dropped from the team for the Kolkata Test against England in 1984 for getting out to an extravagant shot as India were trying to save the Test match.

After being dropped for one test, Kapil returned to the team and played another 65 consecutive Tests before retiring in 1994.

#1 Kumar Sangakkara

Sangakkara is still scoring heavily in County cricket and in T20 leagues around the world

Sri Lanka’s highest run-getter in Tests and ODIs, Kumar Sangakkara was super consistent in all forms of cricket. He was a very fit cricketer and kept wickets in most part of his career.

There were only a couple of instances where he got injured and missed a certain part of a series. Both were in 2012 and co incidentally both were fractures. In July 2012, Sangakkara fractured his right little finger after being hit while batting and this injury ruled him out for almost a month. The other instance was in Australia during the Boxing Day at the MCG, when he was struck by a Mitchell Johnson bouncer which fractured his left hand.

Sangakkara retired from international cricket in 2015, but still continues to play in a few T20 leagues and County cricket. Considering his recent form, there were talks of him coming out of retirement, but he has quashed all the speculation.