From Sachin to Virat, 6 Indian cricketers and their bizarre superstitions
Success in cricket is largely a result of talent, preparation, discipline, and hard work, but many players also believe that luck can play a small role. Cricket is more than just a game in India; it connects millions of fans across different backgrounds and generations.
Interestingly, some of India's most famous cricketers have followed their own superstitions and lucky routines. From wearing a particular jersey number to following a specific dressing-room ritual, these habits have become an unusual part of their cricketing stories.
While there is no scientific evidence that superstitions can influence a player's performance, athletes often use familiar routines to feel confident and mentally prepared before an important match. Here are six interesting superstitions associated with some of India's most famous cricketers.
1. Sachin Tendulkar: Left Pad Before His Right
Cricket is often described as a religion in India, and Sachin Tendulkar is one of the players who became an icon of the sport. Despite his extraordinary career and preparation, Tendulkar was also known for following a simple pre-match habit.
He reportedly preferred wearing his left batting pad before his right pad. It became one of his familiar routines before going out to bat.
For a player who spent decades at the highest level, such a routine can become part of the mental preparation process. Whether it actually brought luck is impossible to prove, but the habit remained an interesting part of Tendulkar's cricketing story.
2. Sourav Ganguly: A Teacher's Photograph
Sourav Ganguly, popularly known as Dada, was one of India's most influential cricket captains. His aggressive leadership style helped change the way the Indian team approached international cricket.
Ganguly reportedly carried a photograph of his Guru in his pocket while playing. Having the photograph with him was believed to provide a sense of comfort and confidence when he was on the cricket field.
It is an unusual superstition, but it also shows how personal beliefs and emotional connections can become part of an athlete's match-day routine.
3. Virender Sehwag: The Numberless Jersey
Virender Sehwag was famous for his fearless batting style and ability to attack bowlers from the first ball. But when it came to his jersey, the explosive opener had an unusual preference.
Sehwag spent considerable time wearing the number 44, but after consulting a numerologist, he decided to play in a numberless jersey.
The unusual jersey choice reportedly did not sit well with the ICC's uniform requirements. However, Sehwag continued with his preference and remained one of India's most destructive opening batsmen.
Sehwag's story is a good example of how a seemingly small personal belief can become associated with a player's public image and cricketing career.
4. Yuvraj Singh: Lucky Number 12
Yuvraj Singh had a special connection with the number 12. He was born on December 12, making the number particularly significant to him.
Yuvraj therefore considered 12 his lucky number and wore it on his Indian cricket jersey. The number became closely associated with the left-handed batsman's career and his identity on the cricket field.
Jersey numbers are often deeply personal for sports stars, and Yuvraj's number 12 became instantly recognizable to cricket fans around the world.
5. M.S. Dhoni: His Bond With No. 7
Mahendra Singh Dhoni also had a strong connection with a particular number. Dhoni was born on July 7, and the number 7 became his iconic jersey number throughout much of his cricket career.
The former Indian captain has often been associated with the number because of his birth date. Over the years, No. 7 became synonymous with MS Dhoni, just as certain jersey numbers became strongly associated with other sporting legends.
Dhoni's association with the number 7 is now one of the most recognizable jersey-number stories in Indian cricket. His calm personality and successful career made the number even more iconic among fans.
6. Virat Kohli: The White Shoes
Virat Kohli is widely known for his exceptional fitness, intense preparation, and disciplined approach to cricket. Even with such a strong focus on preparation, Kohli has also spoken about personal preferences that he associates with his game.
One of the interesting habits associated with Kohli is his preference for wearing white shoes while batting. The choice became something of a personal superstition for the modern-day Indian batting star.
Kohli's approach to cricket combines fitness, preparation, confidence, and personal routines. His superstition about white shoes adds another interesting layer to the habits of one of India's most successful modern cricketers.
Why Do Cricketers Follow Superstitions?
Superstitions are not unique to cricket. Athletes across different sports often develop small rituals before competitions. These may include wearing a particular item, following the same preparation routine, listening to specific music, or using a familiar piece of equipment.
Such habits do not guarantee success, but they can provide a sense of comfort, consistency, and confidence. For professional athletes who regularly perform under intense pressure, having a familiar routine can become psychologically reassuring.
Indian cricket has produced generations of players with different personalities and playing styles. From Tendulkar and Ganguly to Dhoni and Kohli, these unusual habits show that even sporting legends can have their own beliefs and routines away from the statistics and records.
Final Thoughts
Superstitions may not decide the outcome of a cricket match, but they certainly make the stories of famous players more interesting. Sachin Tendulkar's batting-pad routine, Ganguly's photograph, Sehwag's numberless jersey, Yuvraj's number 12, Dhoni's No. 7 and Kohli's preference for white shoes are all examples of the personal habits associated with Indian cricket stars.
If you enjoy reading about Indian cricket, you can also explore our guide to cricket fitness exercises used by professionals and discover some of the most impossible cricket world records.
For fans interested in the next generation, our list of young Indian cricketers to watch is also worth exploring.
