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Go to any part of the globe, and if you see a random person getting mobbed at the airport or a shopping centre or any other public space for that matter, he/she is likely to be either a cine-actor or a sportsperson. Every action of a celebrity, both on and off the field, sells as a news story. And cricketers are no aliens to this.We all know that a successful cricketer from any nation is glorified as a hero in his homeland. But there are a few exceptional ones who become the blue eyed boys loved even by the rival teams and fans. In this feature, we pick out five of the most loved international cricketers, regardless of their origin, and see why they’re loved by one and all.Note: Only currently active players have been considered here.
#1 Dale Steyn
“Dale Steyn breathes fire!” is an often read headline. Put him on any condition – damp, dry, humid – or give him any turf to bowl on – slow, bouncy, flat – he’s going to give the batsmen a run for their money. Almost 6 feet tall, with a full round arm action and terrifying pace, Steyn has every ingredient to make him the world’s best quickie.
"There are not enough bowlers in the world who can bowl at 150 plus and still manage to swing the ball at the same time.” says Steyn’s former coach Ian Pont.
This 31-year-old South African has 159 ODI scalps and 396 Test wickets under his belt. He has dominated the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings for several years and continues to do so till today. In an era where bats do most of the talking, Steyn is a go-to guy for any captain.
Steyn carries his panache on to the glamorous T20 format as well. IPL franchises consider it a privilege to have him in their side and he almost leaves the watchers in awe with his performances.
That he is a stunning performer is what makes any aspiring bowler of this generation look at him as a role model. Regardless of which country he travels to, he mesmerises the fans and players of other teams who are spell-bound by his bowling skills. Anybody who appreciates the game to a decent extent does reserve special respect for this bloke.
And he often says that he loves to encourage young talent. Here’s one such video where he, along with other South African cricketers, visit an 11-year-old’s house to throw him a pleasant surprise.
As dangerous as he is with the ball, he’s quite the opposite off the field. Known for his benevolence, Steyn recently expressed his dismay at the bush-fire calamity that engulfed his native state. The tragedy happened while he was away in Australia for the World Cup, but he took to twitter to express his worries for the people back at home.
He was also quoted saying, “If I was at home I'd dive straight into it and do what I can to help. It really is terrible. A lot of animals, pets, homes, nobody should go through that kind of stuff. It's a pretty tough time back home right now,"
Such noble gestures separate great men from the ordinary, and perhaps that is why he’s here on our list.
#2 Kumar Sangakkara
If it seems like Sangakkara scores a century every day, that is because he nearly does. This classic left-handed wicket-keeper batsman from Sri Lanka is in a golden run of form this World Cup. He has scored four centuries on the trot, helping his team ease through to the quarterfinals.
But that is only one of the many reasons why he features in this list. Born in a little hill town called Kandy, this Sri Lankan sothpaw’s full swing cover drives are a definite object of love-at-first-sight. He has over 14,000 ODI runs in his career, makinhg him the second highest run getter in ODI history.
As if this isn’t enough, he is the game’s most successful man behind the stumps too, with over 482 dismissals in as many matches in ODIs. He’s also captained his side to a World Cup final during 2011, which the team unfortunately lost to India after enjoying a good run throughout the tournament.
To reinforce how he’s loved across the length and breadth of the cricketing world, he was awarded the ICC’s People’s Choice Award twice in 2011 and 2012, besides winning the ODI and Test Player of the year award more than once.
The late Mr. Peter Roebuck, a cricket columnist, once described him with the words: “Kumar Sangakkara counts among the most polished and prudent of batsmen. Nothing catches the eye about his work except its consistency and efficiency.”
This 37-year-old law student, true to his background, has often been vociferous about the unfairness surrounding the game. He was invited to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture in 2011, which made him the youngest invitee in a list that includes the legends Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, Richie Benaud and the like.
Sangakkara is also actively involved in a lot of charity work. He is a member of the Think Wise Initiative, launched by ICC, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and UNICEF, which is aimed at raising awareness around HIV prevention and eliminating discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS.
#3 Brendon McCullum
Tattooed biceps, unshaven mustache and muscular physique – for all you may know this man could have ended up in a wrestling ring if not for cricket. Captain of the New Zealand cricket team in all three formats of the game, Brendon McCullum is a must-have player in any cricket squad. People love to watch him dance down the wicket and jab at the ball for a big one.
He’s the leading run scorer with 2,105 runs in the shortest version (T20) of cricket, at an eyebrow-raising strike rate of 135. The footage of Mccullum’s 158 in the inaugural match of IPL in 2008 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) still sends a chill down the spines of bowlers around the world.
He is also known for his wicket-keeping abilities, and he is the country’s second most successful wicket-keeper till date. Mccullum describes himself as “brash”.
He notched up the first 300 by a New Zealand batsman in Test cricket when he scored 302 runs against India in February 2014. His phenomenal growth saw the skipper’s call fall in his lap in 2012. Since then, he’s brilliantly lifted the team from a mediocre group to a formidable force, tempting bookies to bet all their money on the Kiwis this World Cup.
He might be dangerous with the bat, but that is not the only reason why fans around the world adore him. He’s known to be cheeky at times, sharing light moments with the fans and rivals alike. He once sent an open letter to the bosses in New Zealand to let the fans come in support of the team for an ODI against Sri Lanka just ahead of the World Cup.
Even in the current World Cup, McCullum has produced a lot of bravado with the bat, especially during his innings against England and Australia where he literally gave no option for the bowlers to bounce back. Though Mccullum was the highest scorer for the team against Australia, he modestly deflected the praise, saying, “Kane Williamson is a much better batsman than I am. He can modulate his game according to the situation. It was because of him and how he played a pressure-cooker knock we won the match.”
He respects players of other teams and was the first to express his condolences when Phil Hughes passed away after a tragic on-field accident. As Harry Hart utters in the movie ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’, “Manners maketh man.”
#4 Chris Gayle
When we talk of Chris Gayle, we are talking of one of the most chilled out cricketers the game has ever seen. No matter what, he permanently wears a long smile on his face. You will almost never find him displaying any adverse emotions. He hails from the party town Jamaica, and his relaxed demeanour does full justice to his homeland.
This 35-year-old Jamaican juggernaut entered the cricketing scene in 1999 and from then on has become West Indies’ biggest force to reckon with. When this juggernaut is on a roll, nothing can stop him; not even the world’s best bowler. He has recorded two triple centuries in Test cricket and holds the record for the only double-hundred ever scored in the World Cup.
In the IPL, playing for RCB, he once smashed 175 against the Pune Warriors, bringing his century in a stunning 30 balls. That is the quickest century ever recorded in any professional cricket format.
But Gayle makes people go ga-ga over him not only with his sixes but also with his peculiar gimmicks on the field that would tickle even the opponents’ funny bone for a moment.
Though he may be one of the most celebrated West Indian cricketers, rest assured he doesn’t let any pride get to his head. For instance, when Rahul Dravid once lavished praise on Gayle, this giant magnanimously replied, “Dravid could play attacking cricket like me but i could never play like him.”
Gayle is an incredibly colourful character and strikes great camaraderie with people wherever he goes. You can find him sharing friendly banter with a rival as eagerly as taking a selfie with a fan. One adage we are sure he hasn’t unlearned from his childhood is, ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.
He is like your guy-next-door who doesn’t mind sharing his personal life with everyone. It is a known fact that he loves to party hard, but it is his tongue-in-cheek posts on social media that brings a wry smile to everyone’s face. When not playing cricket you can find him unwinding with a mic, crooning his favourite song for his loved ones.
#5 AB de Villiers
If ever his poor willow were to speak, it would cry out in pain, saying, “He turns me, twiddles me, scoops me and lets me take all the pounding!” For AB de Villiers, a cricket bat is a handy weapon of mass destruction. When he goes on an attacking mode, he’s second to none on the cricketing field.
The fastest ODI fifty! Fastest ODI hundred! And also the fastest 150! You name the record, and he has it. The way he guides the ball over the fence on a 360* spectrum is a lovely treat to the eyes. He can bat, can turn his arm as a bowler, can keep wickets and he is also the captain of his side; as a funny comment goes, “The only thing he hasn’t done is walk on water.”
The brutal fashion in which he hammered fellow South African Dale Steyn, touted to be the world’s best fast bowler, in an IPL match in 2014 is a scene that no one will forget any time soon. "There are only two games in a year I dread – it's the two IPL games I play against this guy (de Villiers)," Steyn confessed after that assault.
But if you think he’s versatile only in the game of cricket, you couldn’t be more wrong! De Villiers has played rugby and hockey at the school level and was shortlisted for South Africa’s junior national hockey team. He’s also participated in numerous U-19 tennis tournaments.
Better still, he managed to excel in academics as well. He is a recipient of the prestigious national medal from the late Nelson Mandela for a science project during school days.
Irrespective of where he plays, De Villiers is a crowd-puller. People swarm in simply to watch him bat, and they almost always get their money’s worth. As a tribute to his invaluable contribution to the country, Cricket South Africa presented a video on his birthday last month. The video shows fans and players wishing him for his birthday.
Despite being the No. 1 batsman in ODIs, also frequently topping other rankings, De Villiers is humility personified. When asked to comment about his IPL innings against Steyn, he humbly said, “Well, I could do this to him only because it was a T20 match; had it been Test cricket, I wouldn’t stand a chance. He’s too good for someone like me.”
