ICC Cricket World Cup: Eight 'Bad Boys' Who Can Light Up Event With Their Antics
Cricket is a gentleman's game. Correction. Cricket was a gentleman's game, agree most. For the new breed of celebrated players, cricket is a game that is played to win and anything short of it is just unacceptable. Here's a look at six players who compete with hearts on their sleeves, opponent's decimation on their minds.
- Shubhodeep Chakravarty
- Updated: February 13, 2015 01:32 PM IST
Boys will be boys and there is not much that one can do about it. Even as International Cricket Council seeks to clamp down sledging and other such uncouth conduct, the World Cup is sure to bring out a plethora of emotions from cricketers. From rage to revelry and chutzpah to unabashed celebrations, the tournament will test the indomitable spirit of man's will to succeed. Of course, the spirit is stronger in a few and here's taking a look at some of them.
Virat Kohli
Vice-captain of the Indian team, Virat Kohli is a feared batsman and a fierce competitor. "I hate losing," he had once said. Such is his determination to succeed that he was even voted as Australia's most-hated villain in a poll conducted by a news website Down Under during India's recent Test series. (Greats Parked in the Exit Queue)
Abuses, middle-finger, hateful tweets - Kohli's done it all. Taking it on the chin is something the Delhi cricketer has never bothered to imbibe in his cricketing sensibilities. Opponents are better advised to provoke him on their own peril as aggression is known to bring out the best in him and his batting.
Although many feel he has mellowed down over the years, form has not been too kind to him lately. This makes Kohli a rather volatile prospect - one that can set the World Cup on fire one way or the other.
Chris Gayle
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The most-experienced cricketer in the West Indies team is also the most maverick of them all. In fact, Chris Gayle has two hobbies - mauling bowlers and doing the calypso after mauling them.
One of the most feared batsmen in the World Cup, the Jamaican has been at loggerheads with his cricket board. This means he would be even more eager to slam runs so that he can slam on Twitter later. (Australia rolls on, but Bob Woolmer's Death Spoils the Party in 2007Australia rolls on, but Bob Woolmer's Death Spoils the Party in 2007)
Some feel that Gayle is quite unpredictable when it comes to batting in major tournaments. While runs may or may not be a guarantee, the 35-year-old will surely light up the world of social media during his stay Down Under.
Stuart Broad
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Australia's biggest nemesis is a man called Stuart Broad. It is no secret that fans Down Under don't like him with Aussie coach Darren Lehmann even calling him a cheat. The beauty of the 'relationship' though is that the Englishman doesn't give two hoots back.
Credit should be given where its due. (Exciting New Zealand's Best Shot at Glory)
Not many cricketers can have a cool demeanour despite the fact that there is a clothing line which mocks him. For all his alleged instances of delaying proceedings and running on the pitch, 'Stuart Broad is a SH*T Bloke is quite a popular brand of apparels Down Under. None of it would matter though if Broad can help England claim their first World Cup trophy. After all, there's no better way to silence haters than by putting them down in their own backyard.
Shahid Afridi
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Pakistan's "Boom Boom" man is not referred to this way for no reason. Shahid Afridi's ODI capabilities is only shadowed by his flamboyant demeanour.
The perennial 'young' man of Pakistani cricket, Afridi is playing his last World Cup and is itching to win it. Hook and crook would hardly matter to the all-rounder who has previously got into several on-field scuffles with opponents. In fact, Youtube provides countless hours of entertaining footage from Afridi's outbursts! (Youngsters Set to Light Up The World Cup 2015)
Down Under, the 34-year-old is expected to continue with his special style of cricket in the bid to take Pakistan to the top.
David Warner
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When a cricketer promises to be merciless, one knows he is not on the field to make friends. David Warner has no dearth of allies but give him a bat and the war is almost as good as won.
The Aussie opener has a ruthless approach to cricket. "I'll be arrogant and say I have taken most of them down," he said recently when asked about bowlers likely to make an impact in the World Cup.
The cricketer though has another aspect to his game. Shooting off the mouth comes as naturally to Warner as flaying balls with the willow. Each time he would step out, therefore, would promise and explosive contest - either with the bat or with his verbal volleys.
Dale Steyn
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Those who know him say he can be quite the gentleman if and when he wants to. Unfortunately for batsmen, South Africa's Dale Steyn hardly wants any of that when galloping down to bowl at break-neck speeds.
Widely applauded as the most skilled pacer, Styen is also revered as one of the most feared one. As if bowling with speed and precision is not enough, the cricketer serves verbal volleys as special a side dish with most of his deliveries. Determined to take South Africa to the title, Steyn says the tag of chokers that his team is infamous for, will vanish in Australia.
Expect batsmen to fade away as well.
Mitchell Johnson
He's fast, he's furious. Mitchell Johnson creates as much destruction as possible in his wake. Midge, as he is called by those close to him, truly personifies the term 'Thunder Down Under.'
What works for Johnson is his ability to combine pace and bounce to lethal effect. What doesn't for the opposition is that Johnson also doles out selective expletives between each delivery.
A delight for Aussie fans and a nightmare for the opponents, Johnson pushes the bar higher each time he steps out to play.
Ravindra Jadeja
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He has been knighted by an entire country - that's one of Ravindra Jadeja's biggest claims to fame. A highly-talented asset in a limited-overs matches, this Saurashtra player can turn the game in the opposite direction just when rival teams begin to whiff a win. In addition, Jadeja is not what one would describe as a connoisseur of tasteful cricket.
Behind his smiles and jokes, he has often poked the opposition with taunts and jabs. They have worked sometimes and have fallen quite flat on other occasions. Nonetheless, his conduct has given several unpredicted twists in cricket scripts.