Rohit Sharma. Photo: Photosport
India skipper Rohit Sharma has guided his side to Sunday's final of the Champions Trophy against the Black Caps, but he's copped a fair bit of flak in doing so... not for the results, but his weight.
A row erupted after an Indian politician accused Sharma of being overweight and unfit.
However, since the days of the legendary WG Grace, cricket has been a game for all shapes and sizes.
And in fact, cricketing lore celebrates the achievements of cricketers who have excelled despite looking unathletic.
Here's a few fan favourites who've tipped the scales.
1. Arjuna Runatunga
Sri Lanka's World Cup-winning captain was often reminded by opponents of his shape. He made his test debut as an 18 year old and made his country's first Test half century. Runatunga features in one of the most often repeated cricket tales when supposedly playing against Australia and Australian leg spinner Shane Warne trying to lure Runatunga down the pitch, wicketkeeper Ian Healy is said to have advised, "Put a Mars bar on a good length, that should do it." Ranatunga, whose bat once sported an advert for Sam's Chicken and Ribs, shot backL "If you do, I bet David Boon will get there first."
Sri Lanka's Arjuna Ranatunga Photo: AFP
2. Mike Gatting
A low centre of gravity and a fondness for cheese and pickle sandwiches didn't do too much harm to Gatting, England's last successful captain in an Ashes series down under (1986-87) before Andrew Strauss. 'Fat Gatt' played 79 Tests and finished a long first-class career with 94 centuries. His eating habits were fuelled in his early years by Nancy Doyle, the legendary Irish cook at Lord's: Mike Selvey, a former teammate, recalled how Mike Brearley once asked her if it might be possible to restrict the number of courses at lunch to five. The response was unprintable.
MIKE GATTING raises his bat to the crowd, England A v Middlesex County Cricket Club, Lords, 24 April 1994. © Copyright Photo: Glyn Kirk/Action Plus / www.photosport.nz Photo: ACTION PLUS
3. Dwayne Leverock
Everyone's favourite Bermudian cricketer enlivened the 2007 World Cup with a diving slip catch against India that probably registered on the Richter scale. He's also a canny slow left-armer. Asked to explain his bulk - which is variously estimated at between 120g and 133kg - Leverock admitted that he lived above an Indian restaurant... "and there's another one next door!" Unarguably one of the most popular players from Bermuda, Dwayne Leverock was also one of the heaviest cricketers of all time. While this Dwayne wasn't as fit as 'The Rock', he was as entertaining as him if not more. He was one of the biggest cricketers in terms of size as well. He made headlines when he took one hell of a catch in the 2007 World Cup. Diving his right to catch the ball only to send Uthappa packing was an unforgettable moment. .
Bermuda cricketer Dwayne Leverock. Photo: AFP
4. Shane Warne
The late great Warne was rarely sylph-like, and it got him into trouble in 2003 when he missed the World Cup and copped a one-year ban after apparently taking a diet pill given to him by his mother, unaware that it contained a banned drug. Once again Ian Healy had a good line on the man in question, famously observing that, "Warnie's idea of a balanced diet is a cheeseburger in each hand." Warne sits second on the all time list of test wicket takers with 708 - behind only Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who's taken 800.
Shane Warne taunts the Barmy Army after trapping Steve Harmison lbw (wicket number nine) during the final day of the third Test Match between Australia and England at the WACA in Perth. Photograph © Graham Morris/cricketpix.com (Tel: +44 (0)20 8969 4192; Email: sales@cricketpix.com) Ref. No. 06596g37 Photo: Graham Morris
5. Rahkeem Cornwall
He is unarguably the heaviest cricketer of all time. Cornwall is even nicknamed 'Cricket's man-mountain'. The West Indies all-rounder is also over 1.8m tall, making him one of the biggest units in cricket right now. He weighs 140kg. However, looks can be deceptive. He has played just 13 Tests but has already made a name for himself. The bowling all-rounder has scored two 50s with the bat and has also taken two five-wicket bags. He has taken 32 wickets in just 15 innings.
West Indies spin bowler Rahkeem Cornwall. Photo: Photosport
6. Mohammad Shahzad
Shahzad is one of the most entertaining cricketers of this generation. The charisma of the Afghanistan wicketleeper is second to none. He has also scored the most number of runs by an Afghanistan batsman in the shorter versions of the game. Another important point to be noted is that his stumpings are swift. He himself doesn't believe in being fit. He once went on record to say that, "Why diet like Kohli when you can hit longer sixes than him?"
David Warner bats (plus wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad, left) during the Cricket World Cup match between Australia and Afghanistan at Bristol on 1st June 2019. Photo: Graham Morris
7. Jesse Ryder
New Zealander Ryder has had a much-publicised battle with the bottle, as well as his weight, in recent years. When he's good, as in his Test double-century against India early in 2009, he's very very good - but when he's bad, he's pretty bad, as in 2008 when he put his hand through a window after a late-night drinking session celebrating a one-day victory over England. Injuries have also tended to strike, but when he got it right, bowlers everywhere had to watch out.
Former Black Cap Jesse Ryder playing for English county side Essex. Photo: Photosport
8. Jock Edwards
A short, stocky and aggressive batter notorious for his big hitting, the late Edwards is unofficially credited with the longest six of all time, having sent one to Blenheim from Nelson after landing the ball in the back of a truck. His larger frame did hamper his wicketkeeping ability however, which was often called into question, and Ian Smith would eventually usurp him as the country's top glovesman.
New Zealand's Jock Edwards in action. 1978. Photo: Don Neely/www.photosport.co.nz Photo: Don Neely
9. Edo Brandes
The Zimbabwean seamer known as 'Chicken George', Brandes juggled his cricket career with being a chicken farmer. While he managed an ODI hat-trick against England in 1997, his most infamous moment came in the form of the greatest sledging retort in the game's history. During a match against Australia, Glenn McGrath asked, "Hey Eddo, why are you so fat?" Brandes' response? "Because every time I sleep with your wife, she gives me a biscuit."
10. Inzamam Ul Haq
When it comes to being unfit, Inzamam's name will always be taken. Despite all his achievements, the former Pakistani batsman will always be remembered for his weight issues. He had a history of being involved in the funniest run-outs in cricket. He holds a list of records to his name and was right up there in terms of legendary cricketers. Inzi scored 8830 runs in Test cricket at an average of 49.33. He also scored 11739 runs in ODIs at an average of 39.53. He was hungry for not only food, but also runs.
20 August 2006: Pakistani captain Inzamam Ul-Haq lead his players back onto the field after their protest on the fourth day of the 4th NPower Test between England and Pakistan played at The Brit Oval, London, England. 060820 ball tampering Photo: Glyn Kirk
