5 Most loved overseas cricketers in India

In a cricket crazy nation like India, not often do people go out of the blue and support the overseas players. The Indians back their players to the extreme and love their cricketers. But at times, be it due to the IPL or any other reason, the fans in the country end up admiring the overseas players a lot.

The aficionadi extend immense support to some of the overseas cricketers – both during the IPL as well as when they play for their nation. These overseas cricketers have got a huge fan following in the country and the fans rally behind them wherever they go.

Here are five of the most loved overseas cricketers in India:

1. Shoaib Malik

Very few Pakistani cricketers find a decent amount of fan base in India. Batting all-rounder Shoaib Malik is one of those players from Pakistan who enjoys decent support from the Indians. Malik is soft-spoken and is regarded to be one of the gentlemen of the game.

In fact, the 37-year-old is married to the Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. The cricketer has been around the international circuit since 1999. He represented Pakistan in over 400 international matches and also toured India many times with the team. Malik played 7 games in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals (then, Delhi Daredevils).

2. Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson is one of the best batsmen in the world and has got a fabulous technique. The New Zealand skipper always tries to give his 100 per cent on the field and inspires many with his skill and temperament. He has been around with the Sunrisers Hyderabad for quite a few years now.

But it is during the IPL 2018 when his fan following grew up immensely in the country. Kane redefined the way T20 cricket is played. With his risk-free yet highly effective batting, Williamson took the Sunrisers into the final of the season. The right-hander was the ‘Orange Cap’ winner and will look forward to continuing to impress the fans with his heroics.

3. AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers is a flamboyant batsman and was quite famous in India even before the IPL. He represented the Delhi Capitals in the first few seasons and then switched bases to Bangalore. It was when he started playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore that his following in the country shot up.

People enjoyed watching ABD bat and smack them all around the park. His 360° batting along with some breath-taking fielding efforts caught the attention of the Indian fans. Even when the cricketer used to tour India with the South African team, fans supported him despite him being in the opposition side. De Villiers had received a standing ovation at the Wankhede for his swashbuckling knock in the deciding ODI back in 2015.

4. DJ Bravo

The Caribbean cricketers are all extremely famous in India and it is quite tough to pick one amongst them. Be it, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard or Andre Russell, all of them are extremely entertaining. But, DJ Bravo manages to find a slight edge over some of these other cricketers.

Bravo is a jovial character and likes to have a lot of fun. He often comes up with new dance moves and is also extremely famous in the country for his songs. The all-rounder represents the Chennai Super Kings and this makes it obvious that his fan following is huge.

5. David Warner

The Indians fans like Australian cricketers quite a lot. At one point in time, there was an impression that these blokes were arrogant and rude. But the IPL has completely changed how they are looked at. David Warner is one of those Australian cricketers who enjoys a massive fan following in India.

Despite all what has happened on and off the field in the last year, his supporters remain unperplexed and haven’t shifted their loyalties. Called ‘Warner gaaru’ or ‘Warner miyaan’ in Hyderabad, the SRH cricketer is an absolute star in the region. He has always managed to catch the attention of the crowd with his scintillating batting and is the fastest to 4,000 IPL runs.

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