There have been several players in Cricket who have served the country and the sport for decades. Many of them with such longevity, have fared well internationally. Several cricketers represented other sports on a professional level. From Yuzvendra Chahal to Ian Botham, here is the list of all those cricketers who did not limit their sporting capability to a particular game.
1. Andrew Flintoff
Flintoff had long been a loyal servant of the game. From his debut in 1998 until his retirement in 2010, Flintoff has given plenty to cherish for the cricket fans. However, not many people are aware of the hidden talent of this 6’4 tall all-rounder. A couple of years after his retirement, Flintoff made his debut as a professional boxer against Richard Dawson. Flintoff never entered the ring again and turned to cricket broadcasting after a short stint with the boxing gloves.
2. Yuzvendra Chahal
The talented leggie has become India’s prime spin bowler in the limited-overs games. Since his debut in the Indian Premier League with Mumbai Indians until today, Chahal has taken giant strides as a bowler. Besides cricket, Yuzi Chahal has represented the country in the international chess championships. He was once a national champion in the under 12 age group. Chahal has represented India in the World Youth Chess Championship. Cricket being his first choice of sport, he shifted his attention to the same.
3. Ian Botham
The legendary English all-rounder was famous for his aggression on the field in Cricket. With over 100 games in test cricket, over five thousand runs, and more than 300 wickets, Botham has found himself a spot on an elite list. A few know that Ian Botham also played football for a club. The ace all-rounder played for Scunthorpe United F.C. in the 80s. Botham played eleven matches for Scunthorpe across multiple seasons.
4. AB De Villiers
AB De Villiers is touted as one of the greatest batsmen to have ever played in the game. His heroics across formats and teams have a treat for fans all over the world. Media spread several rumors about AB having represented South Africa in numerous sports. Although in his autobiography, he cleared the air, calling out most of them to be false. “I did play tennis as a youngster, loved the game, and was ranked as the national No. 1 in my age group.”, wrote the former captain in his book.
5. Viv Richards
The two-time world cup winner, Sir Viv Richards, is the only sports player to have represented his country in two different World Cups. Richards represented Antigua and Barbuda in the 1974 football World Cup qualifiers. The tournament was a forgettable venture for the team as they lost to Trinidad and Tobago by 1-11 and lost to Suriname by 0-6. Thankfully for world cricket, Sir Richards gave up football and put on pads.
6. Jonty Rhodes
Regarded as one of the best fielders in cricket, Jonty Rhodes had also played professional hockey. Jonty Rhodes was chosen to be a part of the South African hockey squad for Olympics 1992. However, the team could not qualify further in the tournament. He was also in contention for the 1996 edition, but Rhodes had to pull out due to a hamstring injury. Rhodes has represented South Africa in 52 test matches and 245 One Day Internationals.
7. Ellyse Perry
One of Australia’s all-time greats, five-time world champion, Ellyse Perry, has an amazing record in cricket. Perry has played more than a hundred ODI games and has scored just above 3,000 runs at an average of 51. Ellyse Perry debuted in the cricket team at the age of 16 in the same year, she also made her football debut for Australia. She became the first Australian to do so. Although she has played both the ICC and FIFA world cups, since 2014, she has turned more towards cricket.
8. Suzie Bates
Suzie Bates got interested in basketball while she was still in her school. Bates grew up watching her dad play for St Kilda Wildcats in Dunedin’s local competition. The Kiwi was juggling between cricket and basketball in her younger days. Although she represented New Zealand in the under-18 and under-21 competitions, it was in cricket that she finally settled. Regarded as one of the best Kiwi cricketers, Suzie Bates could have served the country otherwise also.
9. Nathan Astle
Astle was the backbone of the New Zealand team in the late 90s and early 2000s. With over four thousand runs in the tests, he had proved his credentials several times until he retired in 2007. However, post-retirement, he got into auto racing in the year 2010. Astle was a regular feature at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Speedway. Besides racing, Astle also played professional football for the Rangers A.F.C.
10. Sir Don Bradman
To the lovers of traditional cricket, the name Don Bradman is synonymous with cricket. With an unbelievable batting average of 99.94, Bradman is far from the other leagues of cricketers. Even after making it big in cricket, it wasn’t the only sport Bradman had gained mastery. Sir Don had won the South Australian Squash Championship in 1939. He also played professional golf and won the Mount Osmond Golf Club Championship twice.
