International cricket’s Most Hated XI. The world of cricket has seen several colourful personalities who have at times rubbed the fans the wrong way.
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Cricket like all other sports has multiple figures; most of whom are heroes to several fans around the world. However, the opposite is also true with certain individuals garnering a bit more disdain than others for their off-field and off-field activities.
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These select individuals have pushed and at times even crossed the boundaries of the gentlemen’s game. Some of them have them have changed the general perception around them. Some others not quite. Here at SportsRush, we will list International cricket’s Most Hated XI.
Salman Butt
Salman Butt was a very talented batsman who could have become the cornerstone of Pakistan’s batting. Instead however, he threw all of it for a quick cash grab. He was charged with spot fixing during the test series against Australia.
The incident shocked the cricketing world. Even more so because he was the captain of the side at the time. Fans have since been unable to get themselves to forgive the cricketer for bringing the game into such disrepute.
Jesse Ryder
Partnering Butt at the top is New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder. Ryder’s fondly remembered for smashing bowlers all around the park. However, off of it, the swashbuckling batsman was not a very liked character. Ryder was once found to have been drinking until 1:30 at night before a game against England.
He injured himself at a bar and was rude to the staff at a hospital where he demanded preferential treatment. This sadly, was just the beginning of the end for Ryder, who suffered with personality issues throughout his six-year association with New Zealand cricket.
Ricky Ponting
Ricky Pointing is an undoubted legend of the game. However, during his playing days, he turned millions of fans off for his ‘win at all cost’ attitude. The Australian team that Ponting was a part of and even led was famous for sledging, or as they would call it, ‘Mental disintegration’.
Ponting pushed the boundaries of the game on several occasions. It doesn’t help that he was the leader of the Australian side that participated in the dishonourable Sydney test and came out the beneficiaries of several questionable umpiring decisions.
Mohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin was one of the greatest Indian batsmen to ever take to a cricketing ground. However his off-field issues severely soured the fans on him. News of him being involved in numerous relationships whilst being married left a bad taste in the mouth of the supporters.
The final straw was his alleged involvement in the match fixing scandal; the darkest chapter in Indian cricket. The cricketer was banned for life from the sport and despite the lifting of the ban in 2011, not many have changed their views on the ex-India captain.
Greg Chappell
Many Indian fans who followed the game through the Greg Chappell era, would place the Australian as number 1 in their list. Many credit him for everything that went wrong during his time as India coach. From Sourav Ganguly’s ouster from the side, to the fall of Irfan Pathan. The worse however, was India’s group stage exit from the 2007 World Cup.
Chappell though, was a despised character before being installed as the Indian coach. Back in 1981, when he was Australian captain, he participated in one of the most shameful moments witnessed in the game. With New Zealand needing 7 off the last ball, Chappell ordered his younger brother, Trevor to ball underarm, in a bid to take away any chance New Zealand had of tying the match.
Mushfiqur Rahim
Like many Bangladeshi cricketers, Mushfiqur was initially admired by many for his desire and bull dog like tenacity to compete at the highest level. However, with time, he lost several of his supporters due to his attitude in general.
Rahim has displayed several instances of poor sportsmanship in the past. The most notable was his celebration of India’s exit from the 2016 World T20 after losing to West indies. This did not go down with many and he has since deleted the tweet, However, the damage was well and truly done.
Abdul Razzaq
Abdul Razzaq will not be in anyone’s greatest XI of all time. However, during his playing days, many admired the Pakistani all rounder for giving it his all in the pitch. In recent times however, he has managed to get on the wrong side of the fence.
Razzaq infamously called Bumrah a baby bowler and claimed that had he been playing the pressure would have been on the no. ODI bowler in the world instead of him. This would go on to make him a laughing stock and many lost the respect they once had for him.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin does not have a treacherous past or remark like most others in this list. He is a very talented cricketer who has stood the test of time and looks good to continue for more. However, it is his mankading incidents that the fans have an issue with.
While it is a rule that a bowler is allowed to use. It appears that Ashwin is actively looking to exploit it rather than being spontaneous as he claims. Ashwin was once heavily trolled on social media after being warned by the umpire for seeking to Mankad twice in one over during the IPL.
Shane Warne
Like Ponting and Chappell before him, Warne was also known to push the boundaries of the game. However, while the two were hated for cricketing reasons, Warne’s issues were mostly off the field. From being banned for using illegal substance to sexual harassment allegations, Warne always made the news for controversial reasons.
It wasn’t until the very end of his career that he finally won the fans over. Everything before that however, was a roller coaster ride. Despite being an extraordinary talent in the game, he was a cricketer, many loved to hate.
Sreesanth
India have a healthy batch of fast bowlers today. However, there once was a time when India were not as stocked in the department. Sreesanth, with his pace and swing, was God sent for the side. However, for all the talent the Kerala pacer had, he seemed to always be making the news for the wrong reasons.
His future in the sport nosedived after he was booked for Spot-fixing in the 2013 IPL. He has since been acquitted; however, many see him as nothing more than a troublemaker. A reputation he has done little to rid himself off when he blamed Dinesh Karthik for losing his place in the Indian side.
Mohammad Asif
Mohammad Asif is genuinely one of the best players to have played the gentleman’s game. He tortured batsmen around the world with his swing and guile. Had he kept at it, he would have very easily be counted among the best that Pakistan had ever produced.
Instead however, he was lured by the call of money, and participated in the spot fixing scandal along with his captain Salman Butt. What makes this even worse is, the duo influenced young Mohammad Amir to do the same and took off several years off the youngsters career.
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