Whenever India faces Australia on the cricket field, fireworks are set off. There is just something about the intensity that two heavyweights display while in battle that captivates the imagination and leaves people hooked. There is a healthy hatred on the field, as both teams push the other to the fullest.
There have been titanic battles, iconic moments, heartbreaks and some moments of pure unbridled joy. The 2001 Test series in India between the two teams will go down in history, while there have been a number of other matches that went down to the wire.
At some point in this journey, Indians started enjoying the performances of some Australians more than the others. While cricketers like Glenn McGrath sometimes antagonized the crowd, there were some who played the game with a smile on their faces and immediately became fan favourites.
Here, we list 5 Australian cricketers that Indians fans loved to watch:
1) Brett Lee
Brett Lee was part of a very formidable bowling attack for the Aussies that comprised of the likes of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne. However, it was Lee, more than the others, who became more popular than the rest.
Be it for his quick run up, athletic build, good looks or the fact that he just bowled really, really quick, he was always very popular among the Indians. The fact that he played the game with a smile endeared him to the masses, providing a fantastic contrast after he delivers the red cherry at 150 kmph+.
Lee, more than others, would go on to have a special connection with India. After participating in the Indian Premier Lee, he would go on to act in movies and dance is songs, becoming a part of the popular culture. In 2015, Brett Lee acted in the movie ‘UnIndian’ for which he recieved good reviews for his performance.
2) Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist was definitely ahead of his time. While he played in the era of Test and 50 over cricket, there remains a feeling that he was meant to play T20 cricket. Electric behind the stumps and electric with the bat in the hand, Gilchrist was a sight to behold.
He played the game in his own way, and the Indians enjoyed watching his aggressive style. He had the ability to turn a game on its head whenever he walked into bat. Gilchrist was also known to be a very honest cricketer, who would often walk if he believed he was out.
He won the 2009 IPL with the Deccan Chargers. By that point, he had already established himself as a fan favourite in India. Youngsters in India aspired to bat like him, to look so natural while absolutely destroying the bowling. Gilchrist is missed.
3) Mark Waugh
Mark and Steve Waugh, twins, cricketers, legends. Both had very unique styles. While Steve was more of a leader, more aggressive, Mark was one who took the backseat, and people enjoyed his calm style at the crease.
He was definitely one of the most elegant players to ever wield a bat, heavily depending on his wrists to dispatch the ball to various parts of the ground. That style endeared him to the masses, as they saw shades of Mohammad Azharuddin’s batting in his. He was also an absolutely terrific slip fielder as well and a delight to watch.
In hindsight, it might be the contrast between the two brothers and their styles that made Mark appeal to the masses.
4) David Warner
Pocked. Size. Dynamo. David Warner is an absolute dynamite at the top of the order and is one of the best batsmen in the world right now. When he bats, people stop and watch and he is immensely popular around the world. He is a superstar of the IPL era and thrives in the league.
He had his moment of glory this season, where he carried a largely unfancied Sunrisers Hyderabad side all the way to the final, and to the trophy. This achievement was against the favourites, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and his popularity sore.
A left-hander, aggressive, a great fielder, there’s no wonder he’s popular in India.
5) Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell is another cricketer who belongs in the IPL era. He is one of the few cricketers in the world who has the ability to play with your emotions, as he takes you on a rollercoaster ride each time he comes out to the middle.
His popularity shot through the roof in the 2014 IPL season, where he put on a number of incredible match-winning performances in a very successful campaign for the Kings XI Punjab.
While he has not had the best time lately, his ability to invent a shot and score runs for fun make him a cricketers that India loves to love.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
