If cricketers were F.R.I.E.N.D.S. characters

Shane Warne as Joey Tribbiani

There couldn’t have been a more extroverted character than him. Living life to the fullest by enjoying his share of women and food, Joey Tribbiani remains one of the most affable personalities to have been scripted on any TV series.

Without any malice or ill will, Joey carries on with his job of being an actor even though his friends barely escape alive from the performances he puts up on stage for them. Yet, with his strong confidence and genteel nature, which even makes him so enthusiastic to even play the butt double of Al Pacino, makes him a treat to watch.

If one thinks of the cricketing world, only one cricketer can even come close to the life that Joey is so accustomed to leading.

Australian spin wizard Shane Warne has not only wowed the spectators with his on-field performances, like Joey did in “The Days of Our Lives” but has also learnt to enjoy his social sphere.

Be it his charm with women or his association with adult film stars; his love for poker or a narcissistic side to his self, Warne parallels the character of Joey excellently. He even joined Tinder after his breakup with Elizabeth Hurley, without any intention of getting committed to anyone! Anyone better than to copy Joey's "How you doin'?" then, you think?

Warne continues to lead a luxurious life, one that many cricketers would shy away from. Be it stripping down to his boxers in between his stint as a commentator during the Ashes or undergoing butt implants in 2014 to support the Australian Football Team in the FIFA World Cup for charity, Warne has effortlessly mastered the art of living with oomph.

Not only is Joey’s and Warne’s love for the obvious similar, but the two also share an uncanny resemblance towards their love for food and drink. “Joey does not share food” is a line that has gained cult status and Warne’s love for baked beans during the 1998 series in India remains a tale of folklore, where Qantas, the national Australian airline flew down 1,900 tins of baked beans for the Aussie!

However, beneath their wild side, there lies a deeply emotional and sensitive human being who will never give up on the bonds he has made. Joey’s friendship with Chandler Bing remains historical and his reaction to the passing away of his agent Estelle is heart-warming, to say the least. His responsibilities towards Rachel’s daughter Emma are widely similar to Warne’s duties towards his three children and his friendship with Kevin Pietersen proves his sense of admiration to all around.

With doses of cheeky comments accompanying the mistakes he commits, both Joey and Warne exemplify a larger than life personality interspersed by tonnes of human values.