Cricket is a sport for gentlemen, as the cricketers, too, are referred to as a gentleman. To date, there are countless cricketers, who have earned the respect of millions of fans worldwide, for being a true gentleman in the sport.
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However, it is not always the case, as there are ample cricketers, who are known to be notorious on the field, especially for their aggressive nature. While their aggressiveness with the bat or ball is justified, their characteristic of abusing their opponents through words is certainly not.
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From Virat Kohli to Gautam Gambhir, and a number of overseas players, have received the flak of critics for this very nature of theirs. On the same note, we take a look at the five most abusive cricketers of all time.
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Virat Kohli: The Indian skipper has to be on the top of the list. Although he is a gem of a player, be it with the bat or while fielding, he tends to abuse his opponent through words, which can be read through his lips. He is also known for giving it back to the fans, as he had done so on a couple of occasions, by showing his middle finger to the crowd. He has been summoned for these reasons several times.
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Gautam Gambhir: Another former India international, who hails from Delhi and was long-time Kohli's teammate for the state and country. Gambhir, too, is known for being gentle with the bat. However, when it comes to having a word with his opponents, he is not so gentle. He has often been seen swearing at his opponents, especially while fielding. During an instance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he even clashed with Kohli at a point, before being calmed down by Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) players.
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Ricky Ponting: If there has to be a hostile skipper to have ever played the sport, it has to be Australia's Ricky Ponting. While he did give success to the side for a long time, he had a knack of getting under the skin of his opponents, as he was the prime leader for the side to introduce sledging. As a result, he had often got into a scuffle, especially with the English players, during The Ashes.
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Andrew Flintoff: The English, too, have not shied away from being abusive, and one of the most abusive of all time happens to be all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. Although he gave his 100% on the field on most occasions, both with the bat and the ball, the stump microphones have caught him swearing at his opponents on several occasions. He is well-known for using the f-word at them. Don't believe us? Ask Yuvraj Singh.
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Shane Warne: Another Australian in the list, as legendary spinner Shane Warne, too, was known for this very attitude of his. He did give a tough time to the batsmen, not just with the ball, but also with his words. His infamous strife with Marlon Samuels during the Big Bash League (BBL) was witnessed by millions worldwide. No doubt he was a successful bowler, but he has hardly lived a normal life outside cricket, as his career has always been marred with controversies.
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