Friendship in the world of cricket – Cricket might see rivals go head to head on the field and also increase competition amongst teammates to score more and impress the selectors and the management…
Cricket might see rivals go head to head on the field and also increase competition amongst teammates to score more and impress the selectors and the management but it’s not always rivalries that matter! In cricket, there are some friendships that melt your heart and go make you ‘aww’.
Here are 10 friendships from the cricketing world that will bring a smile on your face on a rather serious, boring weekday:
MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina
Indian pair of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina are known to be great buddies off the field and on it as well. Not just with the Indian team, the duo share special bonding on the IPL front as well with the Chennai Super Kings.
Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli
Another Indian pair that is known to share great bonding is Yuvraj Singh and Indian batting sensation, Virat Kohli. The duo are so close to each other that Kohli informed his IPL side RCB owners to sign Yuvraj Singh for a record fee. Recently, ‘Yuvi’ backed Virat Kohli and stated that the Delhi-batsman would answer the critics.
Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly
One of the India’s best ODI opening pairs, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were not only great cricketers on the field but best buddies off it as well. It was down to their chemistry and great bonding that worked on the field especially during high intensity games.
Kevin Pietersen and Rahul Dravid
Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen might be embroiled in a controversy over his autobiography but the South Africa-born shares a great camaraderie with ‘the Wall’, Rahul Dravid. In his book ‘KP’, Pietersen says that how Dravid’s letter helped the former to counter spin on sub-continent conditions.
James Anderson and Graeme Swann
When England won the Ashes in 2013, much of the credit went to its bowlers especially James Anderson and Graeme Swann as well. Even though Swann retired after the return Ashes series in December 2013, Anderson stood up for his pal ‘Swanny’ after the spinner was at the forefront of a despicable series Down Under.
Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar
Rivals on the pitch but great friends off it – that’s how one can describe Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar’s great bonding. Ever since that Sharjah series in 1998 where Tendulkar hammered Warne and co all over the park, the former was praised by Aussie batting icon Sir Don Bradman and was also accompanied by ‘Warnie’ when Sir Don invited the duo at his residence.
Mahela Jayawardene and Kumara Sangakkara
Sri Lankan cricket’s finest cricketers ever produced, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumara Sangakkara have been stalwarts in the gentleman’s game. The Sri Lankan pair has led their country as well in major tourneys and are one of the finest ‘buds’ in cricket scene.
AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn
Current skipper of the South Africa ODI team, AB de Villiers is one of the greatest batsman in the 50-over format and also a handy wicket-keeper behind the stumps. But the Proteas’ skipper is fond of his teammate Dale Steyn who is the fastest bowler in the current ODI scenario. Though the pair play for rival teams when it comes to IPL (Remember AB hitting sixes off Steyn), this duo are just unforgettable!
Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble
Hailing from Bangalore, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble played for same Ranji team and also went on to represent together for India.
Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag
Delhi pair of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag are one of the India’s top opening Test pair but very few know about their friendship as well! Playing for the same Ranji team, Delhi, ‘Gauti’ and ‘Viru’ are India’s answer to Sholay’s ‘Jai and Veeru’.
