Indian Cricketer Rohit Sharma & 10 Other 'Fat but Successful' Cricketers Who Redefined the Game

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has slammed Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed's comment on their team's captain Rohit Sharma. She called Sharma "fat" and undeserving of a spot in the team in a deleted post. Mohamed deleted the post but that didn't stop it from being noticed and snowballing into a controversy.

Perhaps a good thing that came out of the controversy is the issue of the health of sportspersons turning into a topic of public debate.

Whether Mohamed was right or wrong must be judged based also on the sports discipline in question. Maybe a cricketer can afford to be fat, but a sprinter or a footballer can't. There have been several successful cricketers whose performance was hardly ever affected by their bulky, fatty bodies: Inzamam ul Haq (Pakistan), David Boon (Australia), Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka), Mike Gatting (England), etc.

Top 10 fat but successful cricketers

The observation that several cricketers have achieved significant success despite having heavier physiques is well-founded. Here's a list of 10 such cricketers, along with their heights and weights during their international careers, to provide perspective on their body compositions:

1. Rahkeem Cornwall (West Indies)

   • Height: 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm)
   • Weight: 140 kg
   • Career Highlights: In his first 13 Test matches, Cornwall made an impact with two fifties and 32 wickets in 15 innings, including two five-wicket hauls.

2. Warwick Armstrong (Australia)

   • Height: 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)
   • Weight: Approximately 140 kg
   • Career Highlights: Played 50 Tests between 1902 and 1921, scoring 2,863 runs at an average of 38.68 and taking 87 wickets.

3. Dwayne Leverock (Bermuda)

   • Height: 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)
   • Weight: 127 kg
   • Career Highlights: Known for his remarkable slip catch against India in the 2007 World Cup, Leverock played 32 ODIs and took 34 wickets.

4. Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka)

   • Height: 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm)
   • Weight: Approximately 115 kg
   • Career Highlights: Led Sri Lanka to victory in the 1996 World Cup and accumulated over 12,500 runs in his international career, along with 95 wickets.

5. Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan)

   • Height: 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm)
   • Weight: Over 100 kg
   • Career Highlights: Scored 8,830 Test runs at an average of 49.33 and 11,739 ODI runs at an average of 39.53.

6. Mohammad Shahzad (Afghanistan)

   • Height: 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm)
   • Weight: Between 90 to 100 kg
   • Career Highlights: Holds the record for the most runs scored by an Afghan cricketer in the shorter formats.

7. Jesse Ryder (New Zealand)

   • Height: 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm)
   • Weight: Over 100 kg
   • Career Highlights: Scored 1,269 runs in 18 Test matches at an average of 40.93 and 1,362 runs in 48 ODIs at an average of 33.21.

8. Mike Gatting (England)

   • Height: 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm)
   • Weight: Approximately 95 kg
   • Career Highlights: Scored 4,409 Test runs, including 10 centuries, and captained England to an Ashes series victory in 1986-87.

9. David Boon (Australia)

   • Height: 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm)
   • Weight: Approximately 90 kg
   • Career Highlights: Scored 7,422 Test runs at an average of 43.65, including 21 centuries, and was known for his exceptional close-in fielding.

10. Ramesh Powar (India)

    • Height: 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm)
    • Weight: Approximately 90 kg
    • Career Highlights: Played 2 Tests and 31 ODIs for India, taking 40 international wickets, and later became the coach for the Indian women's team.

These examples illustrate that while physical fitness is crucial in sports, cricketers with diverse body types have achieved success at the international level.