Cricketers and the Olympic sport they could play

The Olympic fever is on at Rio de Janeiro and we just can’t get enough of the games and events. Currently, USA is leading the medals tally with 26 Golds and 70 medals in total with no competitor in sight. Unfortunately for us, cricket is not a part of Olympic games and hopefully we can see cricket added to the list for Olympics in the near future. Amongst cricketing nations, Great Britain (England) and Australia are making their presence felt at Brazil with 2nd and 9th position respectively. Though we’ll have to wait to see cricket in the 2024 Olympics if Rome wins the bid, our present day cricketers can be medal contenders for the 2016 Rio Olympics in alternate sports too. Let’s find out who will be suited to which event: 1. MS Dhoni – 100 meter dash India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni runs to make his ground. (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP/Getty Images) He may be an aging veteran nearing retirement, but we can never ever underestimate this man’s physical abilities. Ever since his early days, there has been no man faster than the Jharkhand mauler. He is such a fast runner that his speed is often compared with none other than the fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt. Dhoni is really quick off the blocks and generates really good sprint speed while keeping and running between the wickets. Some of the latest instances of his superb running are from the World T20 2016 where he first run out Mustafizur Rehmann, running 13 meters in just 2 seconds and then later on helped Virat Kohli chip away the 161-run target with brilliant running between the wickets, stealing crucial doubles from the hands of mighty Australians. Also Watch: MS Dhoni’s funny comments caught in the Stump Mic 2. David Warner – Boxing: Australian cricketer David Warner. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) This one is inspired from the infamous boxing incident which took place at a Birmingham Bar during the 2013 Ashes. Warner was in a bad mood already when Root, Broad and Steven Finn walked in to have a few drinks at the Walkabout bar at near about 1 AM. Root was having fun with his mates, wearing a green and gold colored wig as a beard which Warner mistook as an insult to Hashim Amla and proceeded to punch the emerging England batsman while he was under strong influence of alcohol. Warner had to face hard consequences as a result and was suspended for the next Test match and left to train by himself rather than with the rest of the squad. His aggression and short temper can also contribute positively to his success in the Boxing ring if he ever decides to swap batting gloves for boxing gloves. Also check out – Top 10 Most stylish modern day cricketers 3. Steven Finn – Basketball: (© Getty Images) Standing at 198 cm or 6 feet 7 inches, Steven Finn is one of the tallest cricketers around. Finn was educated at Parmiter’s School in Garston near Watford. He is a fan of Watford F.C. and a former county basketball player, he played locally for Langleybury CC and West Herts CC. Traditionally, basketball is a game for tall people. From 1985 to 2016, the average height of players in the NBA has been roughly 6’7” and our Finny fits the mold perfectly. The Great Britain Basketball team have their own set of problems currently with lack of funding due to which they failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympics but do you think our hero could make a difference to their national squad? Where does Steve Finn stand in the list? – Top 10 Tallest Bowlers in International Cricket 4. Lasith Malinga – Javelin Throw: (© Getty Images) One of the most fun events, Javelin Throw has been a part of the Olympic games since 1908 for men and 1932 for women. Our beloved speedster Lasith Malinga seems to have modeled his slinging action on the principles of Javelin Throw. One of the key principles while throwing the javelin is to not hold back and our Lankan fast bowler definitely never holds himself back and gives his 100% both mentally and physically. A good Javelin Throw requires strong shoulders and power generated from torso which reminds us of none other than “Slinga Malinga’s” devastating yorkers bowled at more than 140 km/hr. Also check out – Top 5 bowlers with best bouncers 5. Mohammad Amir – Archery: Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) One of the hottest prospects in world cricket, Mohammad Amir is an artist. This left-arm swinger is so good with his in-swinging yorkers and the use of reverse swing, when he runs up to bowl with his swiftly flowing action it looks as if an Archer is on song. Amir is precise with his landing spots and the length he bowls at good speeds regularly. His excellent accuracy and ability to bowl at the spot he wants makes him a perfect fit for the sport. With all the knowledge about swing and using the breeze to his advantage, Amir would definitely make a brilliant Archer and help Pakistan win a medal at the Olympics. Also read – 5 Most promising young fast bowlers in international cricket at the moment 6. Kieron Pollard – Wrestling: Kieron Pollard of the Adelaide Strikers. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) Weighing in at 100 kgs and 196 cm tall, Keiron Pollard is an intimidating figure who could well use his physical stature to his advantage on the wrestling mat. Over the years, Pollard has had many high voltage altercations with the likes of Mitchell Starc or Dwayne Bravo and one thing that we can make out from these clashes is that the big Caribbean all-rounder cannot be tamed and neither does he back out from confronting situations. Only if Pollard was able to control his aggression and rough attitude, he could be one of the biggest contenders for the gold medal in wrestling. Also check out – 14 Shameful incidents that disgraced the game of cricket 7. Virat Kohli – Gymnastics: India’s Virat Kohli. (Photo by PATRICK HAMILTON/AFP/Getty Images) The Indian Test captain has achieved a supreme level of fitness. It won’t be wrong to say that with a diet and fitness regime, Virat has reached the epitome of fitness in his sport and he is setting up benchmarks for others to follow. Virat can run fast, catch well, has a bullet arm and is an excellent batsman, to say the least. Though he can participate in the men’s relay race with MS Dhoni, but due to his overall fitness, he can be better off as a Gymnast. Gymnastics is a tough sport which requires rigorous training and peak level fitness to be the best and with the kind of form Kohli is in, if he sets his sight on a gold medal, he can very well give the participants a run for their money at the Olympics. Also check out – The Men of Steel; 5 Fittest International Cricketers 8. AB de Villiers – Shooting: South Africa’s AB de Villiers. (Photo by PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images) A gifted athlete, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers was a national level athlete in golf, tennis and rugby but ultimately chose Cricket as a career option and the rest as they say, is history. Known as ‘Mr 360′ for his ability to hit the ball to any part of the ground, de Villiers has the eyes of a hawk and reflexes of a leopard which can help him in Trap Shooting or any shooting event he chooses to participate in for that matter. The way he bats, the way he leaps in the air for catches and the way he destroys bowling attacks at will, don’t be surprised to see AB de Villiers’ name on top of the list in the Shooting events when he latches on to the flying discs. Also check out – 5 Incredible Knocks that separate AB de Villiers from the rest

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Cricketers and the Olympic sport they could play

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