5 famous movies that cricketers could star in

In India, both Bollywood film stars and cricketers enjoy the same celebrity status and popularity. Therefore, it is not a surprise to often see movie stars and cricketers moving in the same party circles and even having businesses together. So it was only natural to wonder which cricketers would actually suit some of the more popular movies, both in Bollywood and Hollywood. Here are 5 famous movies where cricketers could play the leading role: :

#1 The Usual Suspects - Sri Lanka

Whenever there is a gap in the cricketing calendar that needs to be filled by the BCCI, because giving a decent rest to the players means losing a lot of money, the first call usually goes to the Sri Lankan national team. And they never say no. Even as recently as last month, when the West Indies decided to leave right in the middle of the tour, the Sri Lankans were ready and more than willing to fill in for them, also obliging enough to give a series whitewash to India and let Rohit Sharma notch up the highest individual score in ODIs.

#2 Deewar - Rahul Dravid

This, perhaps, is a no-brainer. It is, of course, the one and only Wall that India have produced that is strong enough to withstand any storm or pressure, Rahul Dravid. While he may not like the name so much, we fans look at it as a proud badge, because if it wasn’t for him, many overseas tours would have been more about shopping with the wives and girlfriends than actually playing some cricket.

#3 Zanjeer - Virat Kohli (Angry Young Man)

Zanjeer changed the way films were made in Bollywood, moving on from romantic films to action thrillers. And Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of the angry young man was a game changer in the movie industry. Virat Kohli is perhaps the only cricketer that can successfully portray the same, and so would be the right fit. I still think Ram Charan was the wrong choice for the remake. It should have been Kohli and it would have been a walk in the park for him.

#4 Speed - Dale Steyn

Yes, there were many options for this. I could have gone with Brett Lee or Shoaib Akhtar, but in present day cricket, Dale Steyn has been the more consistent performer, both for his country and for Sun Risers Hyderabad. Just like the bus and the cruise ship hurtling towards a disaster, Steyn is looked at by batsmen like an out of control machine that is coming to destroy them.

#5 The Great Escape - Michael Bevan

There was a time when Australia were actually vulnerable before they went on a seemingly invincible rampage under Steve Waugh. And when they were throwing their wickets away, there was always one batsman who would stay and bail them out, every single time, and that was Michael Bevan. There are numerous games when Australia seemed to have lost all hope after losing 6 or 7 wickets, but all Bevan needed at the other end was someone who wasn’t going to be foolish and throw away his wicket for him to do his stuff.