5 cricketers who prefer books over social media

<p>Cricket demands intense focus, and players manage pressure in very different ways. While many modern cricketers are active on social media platforms, a handful have consistently turned to books instead.</p>
<p>These five players, spanning different eras and formats, are known for keeping reading as a central part of their lives away from the game.</p>
<h2>Here are 5 players who prefer books over social media:</h2>
<h3>5. Mithali Raj</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1783001935659_FotoJet---2026-07-02T194837.jpeg" alt="Mithali Raj" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Mithali Raj (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/mithali-raj/"><strong>Mithali Raj</strong></a>, the former India women's team captain, became one of the most recognisable images in cricket when she was seen reading a book in the dugout shortly before her turn to bat. Rather than reaching for a phone, she used reading as a deliberate tool to stay focused and manage the pressure of a live match.</p>
<p>The habit drew widespread attention and sparked conversations about mental preparation in women's cricket. Raj's approach showed that switching off from the noise around a game, through the quiet act of reading, could serve as a genuine performance aid.</p>
<p></p>
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<h3>4. Rahul Dravid</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1769596490375_Rahul-Dravid-.jpeg" alt="Rahul Dravid" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Rahul Dravid (Source: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/rahul-dravid/"><strong>Rahul Dravid</strong></a>, the former India captain and head coach, is known for packing multiple books on every away tour. He has treated reading as his primary method of de-stressing from the mental demands of cricket across a long career both as a player and later as a coach.</p>
<p>A biography of Dravid, titled The Nice Guy Who Finished First by Devendra Prabhudesai, covers his career from 1996 to 2005 and reflects the thoughtful, measured personality that his reading habit represents. His reputation for patience and discipline on the field appears to extend naturally into his choice of how to spend time off it.</p>
<p></p>
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<h3>3. Late Bishan Singh Bedi</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Bishan-Singh-Bedi-1.jpg" alt="Bishan Singh Bedi" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Bishan Singh Bedi. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/bishan-singh-bedi/"><strong>Bishan Singh Bedi</strong></a>, the late left-arm spinner who played 67 Tests for India and took 266 wickets between 1966 and 1979, regarded literature as a lifelong companion. He valued quiet reading of physical books over modern media throughout his life. Bedi captained India in 22 Test matches and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1970.</p>
<p>An anthology biography published to mark his 75th birthday brought together thirty-four essays from cricketers, writers and opponents, including Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Mike Brearley and Michael Holding, underlining how deeply his personality and intellect were respected across the cricketing world.</p>
<p></p>
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<h3>2. Jos Buttler</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1778566273098_Untitled-design---2026-05-12T114109.jpeg" alt="Jos Buttler" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Jos Buttler (Photo by Krishan Kariyawasam/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/jos-buttler/"><strong>Jos Buttler</strong></a>, the English white-ball specialist, has been observed carrying mindset-focused books into high-intensity dressing rooms. He is associated with Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday, a book that explores calm and mental clarity as tools for performance.</p>
<p>For a player who operates in the most pressurised formats of the game, including T20 internationals and franchise tournaments, the choice of a book centred on stillness and focus reflects a deliberate approach to managing the demands of modern cricket.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="ct-page-break" data-ct-page-break="true"><span>&nbsp;</span></div>
<h3>1. Virat Kohli</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1784218547027_Virat-Kohli-.jpeg" alt="Virat Kohli" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Virat Kohli (Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/virat-kohli/"><strong>Virat Kohli</strong> </a>is widely regarded as one of the most competitive batters of his generation, but away from the intensity of the game, he has been known to read memoirs and philosophy books during downtime in hotel rooms and dressing rooms. He has cited Open by Andre Agassi as a book he enjoys, preferring inspiring real-life stories over scrolling through social media feeds.</p>
<p>The Agassi memoir, which deals with pressure, identity and the cost of elite sport, is a fitting choice for a player who has spoken openly about the mental challenges of professional cricket at the highest level. He has also cited 'The Autobiography of a Yogi' by Paramahamsa Yogananda.</p>

<p>Cricket demands intense focus, and players manage pressure in very different ways. While many modern cricketers are active on social media platforms, a handful have consistently turned to books instead.</p>
<p>These five players, spanning different eras and formats, are known for keeping reading as a central part of their lives away from the game.</p>
<h2>Here are 5 players who prefer books over social media:</h2>
<h3>5. Mithali Raj</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1783001935659_FotoJet---2026-07-02T194837.jpeg" alt="Mithali Raj" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Mithali Raj (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/mithali-raj/"><strong>Mithali Raj</strong></a>, the former India women's team captain, became one of the most recognisable images in cricket when she was seen reading a book in the dugout shortly before her turn to bat. Rather than reaching for a phone, she used reading as a deliberate tool to stay focused and manage the pressure of a live match.</p>
<p>The habit drew widespread attention and sparked conversations about mental preparation in women's cricket. Raj's approach showed that switching off from the noise around a game, through the quiet act of reading, could serve as a genuine performance aid.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="ct-page-break" data-ct-page-break="true" style="break-after: page;"><span style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<h3>4. Rahul Dravid</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1769596490375_Rahul-Dravid-.jpeg" alt="Rahul Dravid" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Rahul Dravid (Source: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/rahul-dravid/"><strong>Rahul Dravid</strong></a>, the former India captain and head coach, is known for packing multiple books on every away tour. He has treated reading as his primary method of de-stressing from the mental demands of cricket across a long career both as a player and later as a coach.</p>
<p>A biography of Dravid, titled The Nice Guy Who Finished First by Devendra Prabhudesai, covers his career from 1996 to 2005 and reflects the thoughtful, measured personality that his reading habit represents. His reputation for patience and discipline on the field appears to extend naturally into his choice of how to spend time off it.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="ct-page-break" data-ct-page-break="true" style="break-after: page;"><span style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<h3>3. Late Bishan Singh Bedi</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Bishan-Singh-Bedi-1.jpg" alt="Bishan Singh Bedi" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Bishan Singh Bedi. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/bishan-singh-bedi/"><strong>Bishan Singh Bedi</strong></a>, the late left-arm spinner who played 67 Tests for India and took 266 wickets between 1966 and 1979, regarded literature as a lifelong companion. He valued quiet reading of physical books over modern media throughout his life. Bedi captained India in 22 Test matches and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1970.</p>
<p>An anthology biography published to mark his 75th birthday brought together thirty-four essays from cricketers, writers and opponents, including Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Mike Brearley and Michael Holding, underlining how deeply his personality and intellect were respected across the cricketing world.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="ct-page-break" data-ct-page-break="true" style="break-after: page;"><span style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<h3>2. Jos Buttler</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1778566273098_Untitled-design---2026-05-12T114109.jpeg" alt="Jos Buttler" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Jos Buttler (Photo by Krishan Kariyawasam/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/jos-buttler/"><strong>Jos Buttler</strong></a>, the English white-ball specialist, has been observed carrying mindset-focused books into high-intensity dressing rooms. He is associated with Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday, a book that explores calm and mental clarity as tools for performance.</p>
<p>For a player who operates in the most pressurised formats of the game, including T20 internationals and franchise tournaments, the choice of a book centred on stillness and focus reflects a deliberate approach to managing the demands of modern cricket.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="ct-page-break" data-ct-page-break="true" style="break-after: page;"><span style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<h3>1. Virat Kohli</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1784218547027_Virat-Kohli-.jpeg" alt="Virat Kohli" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Virat Kohli (Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/virat-kohli/"><strong>Virat Kohli</strong> </a>is widely regarded as one of the most competitive batters of his generation, but away from the intensity of the game, he has been known to read memoirs and philosophy books during downtime in hotel rooms and dressing rooms. He has cited Open by Andre Agassi as a book he enjoys, preferring inspiring real-life stories over scrolling through social media feeds.</p>
<p>The Agassi memoir, which deals with pressure, identity and the cost of elite sport, is a fitting choice for a player who has spoken openly about the mental challenges of professional cricket at the highest level. He has also cited 'The Autobiography of a Yogi' by Paramahamsa Yogananda.</p>

Cricket demands intense focus, and players manage pressure in very different ways. While many modern cricketers are active on social media platforms, a handful have consistently turned to books instea

From dugout readers to tour-time bibliophiles, these five cricketers have chosen pages over screens.

Check out five cricketers who prefer spending time with books and reading over social media, only on CricTracker