10 Foreign Cricketers Who Proudly Flaunt Their Hindu Roots

In India, cricket is more than simply a sport—it’s a national obsession. India’s national squad often ranks among the best in the world, solidifying its status as a cricketing giant. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is recognized as the most influential governing body in the sport. India has produced several notable cricketers, including the likes of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, and many others.

However, it is sometimes overlooked that a large number of people with Indian ancestry or ties have achieved success in international cricket while playing for other countries. Several extraordinarily gifted Indian-origin cricket players have achieved success throughout the years while donning other nations’ jerseys. However, being an Indian-origin cricketer is not a big deal because we all know that we have a large population and a talent pool.

But being associated with Hindu culture while living in a non-Hindu country is what makes many cricketers special. There are many cricketers all around the world who proudly flaunt their Hindu heritage and follow their culture without any ifs and buts.

Without getting ashamed and dominated by the culture where they were living, some Hindu cricketers are proudly following their culture.

1. Danish Kaneria

Danish Kaneria, the former Pakistani cricketer, hails from a Hindu background. His family, who are Gujarati by ancestry, moved from Surat to Karachi more than a century ago. Kaneria is the first Hindu to play for Pakistan internationally, following his cousin and former test wicket-keeper Anil Dalpat. Like many other Hindus from Gujarat, he too enjoys playing the garba and celebrating Navratri.

2. Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Famous cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul has made a lot of contributions as a Guyanese coach and captain of the West Indies cricket team. However, what’s less known is his Indian heritage, particularly his Bihari roots from his maternal lineage. His family migrated from India to Guyana in the 1800s, reflecting a rich historical connection. In keeping with his multifaceted ancestry, Chanderpaul has also been known to respect and value Hindu culture and customs.

3. Litton Das

Litton Das, the Bangladeshi cricketer, has a Hindu heritage, which adds to the diversity of Bangladesh’s cricket talent pool. He was born in the Bangladeshi district of Dinajpur into a Bengali Hindu family. However, despite living in an Islamic country, he still proudly upheld his religious identity. Consequently, we frequently witness him going to temples and doing pooja with his family.

4. Keshav Maharaj

The South African cricket player Keshav Maharaj is of Hindu descent. As a spin bowler, he adds to the multicultural mosaic of South African cricket. On February 7, 1990, in Durban, South Africa, he was born to his parents, Atmanand and Kanchan Mala. However, few are aware that Keshav’s ancestors once resided in Sultanpur, a city in Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the Gomti River.

Furthermore, despite being in a nation with a distinct culture, he continues to fervently preserve his Hindu heritage and identifies himself as a “big Hanuman bhakt.” He often visits temples and has the “Om” insignia on his bat.

5. Soumya Sarkar

Like his fellow teammate Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, the talented Bangladeshi cricketer, always embraces his Hindu heritage despite living in an Islamic country. Known for his dynamic batting and bowling skills, Sarkar’s background reflects the religious and cultural diversity within Bangladesh’s cricket talent pool. He takes his family to Pooja pandals and temples frequently. Not only this, he is also known for celebrating Hindu festivals fervently.

6. Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan, the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer, has Tamil Hindu roots. Muralidaran, a legendary spin bowler, is regarded as one of the greatest cricket players of all time. However, not many know that his grandfather, Periyasamy Sinasamy, who is from South India, settled in Sri Lanka to work in the tea plantations of central Sri Lanka in 1920.

Sinasamy went back to India and settled in Tiruchirapalli, while Muttiah Muralitharan’s father continued to live in Kandy. Muralitharan is always known for flaunting his Hindu culture. He even did his marriage as per Hindu traditions with an Indian Hindu named Madhimalar Ramamurthy, who is from Chennai.

7. Alok Kapali

Alok Kapali, the Bangladeshi cricketer, proudly identifies with his Hindu lineage. Because of his all-rounder approach, he was an invincible member of the Bangladesh squad during his playing career. In Sylhet, Bangladesh, he was born into a Bengali Hindu family. Because his father worked at a Hindu temple in his hometown, he grew up in a pretty cultural family. For this reason, he frequently enjoys going to temples and Pooja pandals.

8. Samit Patel

Samit Patel, a distinguished figure in the cricketing world, stands out not only for his exceptional on-field talents but also for his deep-rooted Hindu heritage. Patel was raised by Indian parents in Leicester, England, and was given a strong sense of cultural identification by his upbringing. He still has a large family in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India, the hometown of his parents. Although his wife’s name is unknown, it is known that he married an Indian woman following Hindu customs.

9. Aryan Dutt

Aryan Dutt is a renowned Dutch cricketer. Despite just being 20 years old, his incredible playing technique has made him a household celebrity. But as many could have surmised from his name, he is Hindu and hails from India. He was born in The Hague on May 12, 2003, to parents who were originally from Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. It is said that in the 1980s, his parents relocated to the Netherlands. But it doesn’t mean he lost touch with his Hindu heritage. In fact, he was frequently observed enjoying Hindu festivals like Diwali.