When cricketers are compared to WWE Superstars — Part 1
When cricketers are compared to WWE Superstars— Part 1
Superstars from any domain of entertainment are expected by fans to induce thrill in them, be it on the cricket field or on the wrestling ring at the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The ultimate job of these supertars is to entertain the crowd apart from just doing their job and fighting for their own cause or record. However, did you ever wonder what it would be like to have cricketers compared to any of the WWE superstars? Ayush Gupta attempts to get cricketers compared to WWE wrestlers, to unearth strikingly similar pairs as they keep entertainemtn alive on this planet.
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Sachin Tendulkar – Hulk Hogan
And if you didn’t get why one of the greatest legends of cricket is being compared to Hulk Hogan, it’s because of the immense popularity both these men enjoy the world over. Sachin Tendulkar, being considered as one of the all time greatest legends in modern cricket has an immense fan following, not just in India. He is worshipped by millions of fans, and is admired everywhere, despite his retirement. Hulk Hogan too is a WWE legend, with 12 WWE World Heavyweight Championship titles, is immensely popular among WWE fans and draws spectators in every house show, although he hardly wrestles nowadays.
MS Dhoni – The Rock
‘The Most Electrifying Man’, yes, these four words describe both men in their respective domain. MS Dhoni is considered to be the near-perfect finisher in the game, he electrifies the crowd each and every time he steps onto the field along with his finishing strokes. Dwayne Johnson, on the other hand, aka The Rock, electrifies the WWE crowd every time he steps into the ring with his iconic microphone speech and dazzling wrestling manoeuvres. Indeed, they both are iconic and resemble each other perfectly.
Virat Kohli – John Cena
If there is anything that defines both these men, it’s just these two words, ‘Ruthless Aggression’. Yes, aggression is what both of these men possess, and it is this very quality that has helped them reach the top of their respective sports. Virat Kohli, who made his debut in the Indian squad owing to his skilful batting, is also immensely famous for his on-field aggression that has indeed helped him put pressure on the opponents and remain on the top of his game. John Cena, too, made his debut in a similar fashion in 2000, when he prompted fellow wrestler, Kurt Angle face to face with his aggressive attitude and made a clear statement that he is a force to reckon with in this industry, as he went on to become a 15-time WWE World Champion (till date). Speaking about Cena’s catchphrase, ‘Hustle Loyalty Respect’, Kohli possesses it all.
Shahid Afridi – Brock Lesnar
Although this could seem pretty weird to some, there is one particular area that has both these men resembling each other perfectly. Both of them had involuntarily announced their retirement in the middle of their career, andmade a surprising, astonishing return out of nowhere. Shahid Afridi announced his retirement following the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup from all formats of the game. However, just three months into his retirement, he made an announcement out of nowhere that he would be returning to the limited-overs formats of the game. Brock Lesnar, too, involuntarily retired from WWE in 2004 to focus on his National Football League (NFL) and Ultimate Fight Championship (UFC) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career. However, just after four years of leaving WWE, he made an astonishing return to the industry in 2012 on a full-time role, although he now wrestles on a part-time basis as a part of his character and scripted storyline.
Wasim Akram – Cesaro
Yes, you got it right. They both are indeed the ‘King of Swing’. Wasim Akram was basically a bowling all-rounder, who terrorised batsmen with his sheer pace and swing that left them dumbstruck and helpless, allowing him to claim wickets with an ease. Be it any track or wicket, Akram always remained the King of Swing by generatingit against all odds. Cesaro, on the other hand, too, swings his opponents in the air by grabbing them by their legs upside down, and swinging them around in the air freely, although the swing sometimes takes him down as well, making him dizzy.
Jacques Kallis – Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
‘The Best there was, The Best there is, The Best there will be’. Yes, indeed,it defines both these men in their field. Jacques Kallis is the perfect all-rounder to be born in the history of modern cricket and has been hugely honoured by the cricketing world. His absolute talent to outdo any bowler with the bat, and to press the stop or panic button for any batsman with the ball makes him the complete all-round player in the game. Be it any format, he has always delivered to his potential and despite his retirement, he still continues to impress in the part-time games he plays, which undoubtedly proves his class of excellence. Bret Hart, aka The Hitman, too, was the best in the business of pro-wrestling. His pure style of wrestling, charismatic entrance as well as dominant attitude instantly made him famous among the fans. This led to his rise, and he was eventually crowned as the seven-time World Champion, which led to him being called the catchphrase mentioned above.
Ricky Ponting – Shawn Michaels
In case you are wondering about how Ricky Ponting possesed qualities of the ‘Heart-Break Kid’, aka Shawn Michaels, it’s not because he really does break hearts. The total quality of winning the most matches in an entire career purely matches both these men perfectly. Michaels has history of winning the most matches than any other superstar in the WWE, while Ponting, too, has a history of winning most of his matches, both as a player and the skipper of the Australian cricket team. And he will indeed be termed the ‘Heart-Break Kid’ for the other skippers in the cricketing world who are really struggling to achieve the feat.
Kevin Pietersen – Edge
‘The Opportunist’ is the perfect term that defines both these men. Kevin Pietersen, who has now been discarded by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), is considered as one of the deadliest batsmen in world cricket. Whenever he gets the opportunity, he doesn’t back out of proving himself as one of the best in the game and takes complete advantage of the opportunity. Edge, too, is the king of opportunity as he created history when he cashed in on his ‘Money in the Bank’ contract at the perfect time; when the champion was down and out he pinned him to win the World Championship, thus leaving a blue-print on the contract and be termed as ‘The Opportunist’.
Chris Gayle – Roman Reigns
If there is anything that defines both these men in their sport, it’s the term ‘The Powerhouse’. Chris Gayle is indeed the powerhouse of cricket, as he is best known for his powerful strokes in the shorter format of the game that brings the crowd on its feet each and every time he steps out and plays those big strokes there is a theatrical effect. Roman Reigns too is one of the most powerful men in WWE. His pure strength to take multiple opponents out at a time, and some powerful hitting, is enough to take down any opponent. Although, it has not been long since he joined WWE in 2012, he is soon becoming a major force in the industry, and he almost won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania this year against Brock Lesnar. His classy physique clearly demonstrates his power and is almost a jaguar when he unleashes his powerful rage on the opponents.
AB de Villiers – Sting
The prime reason for both these men to be compared to each other is because they both consider themselves to be ‘The Vigilante’, which means they hardly follow any rules. AB de Villiers is the man without rules in cricket as whenever he is out to bat, he shows no mercy to the bowlers, has no rules set up for himself, and plays break-free cricket. Sting, too, is famous for his vigilante approach as he hardly follows any rules, shows up out of nowhere and challenges any opponent, which he feels needs to be taught a ‘Stinger’ lesson.
(Ayush Gupta is a reporter at CricketCountry. A passionate supporter of Manchester United, he idolises Roger Federer and is also a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) maniac. He can be followed on Twitter @Ayush24x7)