5 cricketers whose looks changed over the years

Cricket careers are long, and players often look very different by the time they step away from the game or return after a break. Some changes come from fitness overhauls, others from medical procedures or health challenges.

Five cricketers in particular have drawn widespread attention for how dramatically their appearances have shifted, whether through weight loss, surgery or the visible toll of illness.

Here are the five cricketers whose looks changed dramatically over the years:

Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan, born on October 22, 1997, in Mumbai, was dropped from India's Test squad for the 2025 England tour, with fitness and weight management cited as a key reason. He was also excluded from the IPL 2025 auction on similar grounds. Selectors and observers felt his body weight was standing between him and a consistent international career, and Sarfaraz took that feedback seriously.

He lost approximately 10 kg within six weeks, with the total reaching 17 kg over just over two months. His father and coach Naushad Khan told the Hindustan Times that the family cut out roti, rice, sugar, flour and bakery products, replacing meals with grilled fish, chicken, boiled eggs, salads, broccoli, cucumber, avocados, green tea and green coffee. The results were visible on the field, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, Sarfaraz scored 329 runs at a strike rate of over 203, including three fifties and a maiden T20 century. Chennai Super Kings signed him at his base price of Rs 75 lakh in December 2025, his first IPL contract after two successive unsold auctions.