Apart from the skills of batting and bowling, cricketers now also need to be at their best in terms of fitness.
The demands of the modern game, its tightly packed schedule, the high intensity, different conditions – some extremely hot, some really cold – have made cricketers focus on their fitness standards more than ever before. Having a good physique also helps cricketers land some handsome brand endorsements.
There have been a number of cricketers who have changed their body strength and physique amazingly during their careers or after finishing playing.
Here are 5 top cricketers who underwent massive body transformation:
Virat Kohli
The first name when talking about the fittest of cricketers that pops up in the mind is that of former India and RCB captain Virat Kohli.
As Kohli went from a chubby, non-veg loving youngster to a more extremely fit vegan athlete, the whole of India followed his footsteps on the path of body and mind fitness. Kohli regularly shares his gym training photos and videos and continues to inspire his fans.
Chris Tremlett
Former England seamer Chris Tremlett stunned everyone when he shared some of his photos of his new, transformed physique.
From a lanky, thin man, Chris Tremlett went to a bulky, muscular, bodybuilder frame. After playing 28 internationals for England, the 6-foot 7-inch tall Tremlett took up weightlifting as a profession.
S Sreesanth
S Sreesanth, who recently retired from Indian cricket after having made his return to the domestic circuit after 8 years of wait, got into bodybuilding during the time he was banned after 2013 for allegedly getting involved in spot-fixing.
He put his hands on many things – movies, TV shows, politics among others – Sreesanth also kept his belief alive to play the game again and kept working on his fitness and underwent a jaw-dropping change in his body buildup.
David Lawrence
A former fast bowler whose England career came to an end, after 5 Tests and 1 ODI, because of a horrific knee injury, David Lawrence decided to do weightlifting and bodybuilding seriously and soon turned into a professional in it.
He participated in the National Amateur Body Building Association’s West of England for the over-40s and won the championship in 2014. He went viral on social media and has been a followed figure in this industry.
Chris Gayle
Now known as the Universe Boss and one of the most destructive batters of all time, Chris Gayle was a really skinny and tall cricketer.
Chris Gayle body transformation pic.twitter.com/jvi5gTAppr
— Behind Cricket (@behindCric8) May 11, 2022
To better his ball muscling prowess, to sent the ball a long way into the stands, Gayle realised he had to become stronger. Now, the Jamaican is heavily built, powerful and intimidating figure.
Maheesh Theekshana
Sri Lanka’s latest in line of mystery spinners, Maheesh Theekshana recently revealed that during his under-19 days he weighed 117 Kgs! Because of his weight and lethargic fitness he used to fail the yo-yo tests early in his career and was sidelined despite good bowling performances.
Theekshana then worked immensely hard on his physique during the lockdown, got his body weight down, and became much fitter and athletic than he was earlier, attaining the required fitness levels. The national selectors promptly gave him ODI and T20I debuts and he’s been largely impressive since his entry into international cricket, also bagging a deal with CSK for IPL 2022.
