Cricketers Smoke Cigarettes, But In Past Times

Smoking is not good for health. This is a medically proven fact. Especially in sports, where a player needs to maintain stamina and endurance, smoking can have negative impact on a player’s health and career. But cricketers smoke, not in present day but in past times they did.

Despite the well known fact, there have been some players in cricket who smoked a lot. So the question “Do cricketers smoke?” has a certain answer which is “yes”. Some of them did, however, it is the trend of 2000s and even before that.

It was 70s and later some years, smoking was often part of dressing room. Especially in English cricket, Ian Botham was a certified party freak. He enjoyed post match moments like a king, drank and smoke without any hesitation. There were less restrictions in those days so players enjoyed a sense of freedom.

In modern times, Shane Warne lived such kind of life, the luxury of being a superstar always followed him. Although smoking did have some repercussions on his career yet he smoked throughout his career and ended up with more than 100 career wickets.

In this post, we have compiled a list of players who used to smoke cigarettes. There is nothing influential about this post, before scrolling through, the reader must remember that smoking in injurious to health.

1) Jack Hobbs

Jack Hobbs signing an autograph while smoking a cigarette. He was a successful English cricketer in the 1920s. Also, he was the first English cricketer to be knighted by Royal crown.

2) Johnny Douglas 

Johnny Douglas smoking while tending to orchids in his garden. Douglas was a former cricketer from Essex and England. He was known for being a fast-medium bowler and a stubborn batsman. He played for Essex and London County before returning to Essex and captaining the team from 1911 to 1928. Douglas also played for England before and after World War I. He captained the England team eighteen times, with a record of eight wins, eight losses, and two draws in Test matches. He had success as a stand-in captain in Australia in 1911 but faced a whitewash defeat on the 1920/21 tour of Australia. He was also a middleweight boxer who won gold medal in Olympics.

3) Malcolm Hilton

Malcolm Hilton smoking while signing autographs to young fans. On the 28th of May 1948, Malcolm Hilton, an English left-arm spin bowler from Lancashire, was seen at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. He was surrounded by fans seeking his autograph and was accompanied by his parents, following the day’s match against Australia.

4) Denis Compton

Denis Compton was a man of many talents. Here he is singing autographs to young girl fans during Compton ball. He played for England and spend his entire career at Middlesex. Also, he played football for Arsenal. He won FA Cup with Arsenal and was famous for his absent mindedness.

5) Gary Gilmour 

This is remarkable photo of Australian spinner Gary Gilmour. He took an incredible 6 wickets for just 14 runs and played a crucial unbeaten 28-run innings with the bat, leading Australia to a thrilling victory over England in the Prudential World Cup semi-final at Headingley in Leeds on 18th June 1975. After such an outstanding display, he takes a moment to relax with a cigarette, celebrating a well-deserved man-of-the-match title.

6) Ian Botham

One of England’s greatest ever all-rounders Ian Botham sitting in the dressing room of the Oval and smoking a cigar while waiting for his batting. He played 102 test matches for England and created numerous record to his name.

7) Phil Tufnell

After England’s victory over Australia by 19 runs in the 6th Test match at The Oval, London on 23rd August 1997, bowlers Phil Tufnell and Andy Caddick enjoyed a moment of relaxation. Phil Tufnell was named the man of the match for his exceptional performance, taking seven wickets in Australia’s 1st innings and four in the 2nd, while Andy Caddick contributed with three wickets in the 1st innings and five in the 2nd. Together, they accounted for a remarkable 19 out of the 20 Australian wickets during the match.

8) Shane Warne

Every cricket fan knows Shane Warne smoked a lot. Here he is taking a break from practice to smoke a cigarette during the training sessions. This image was captured in 2002 just before the second test match between Australia and England at the Adelaide Oval.

9) Fazal Mahmood

Pakistani fast bowler Fazal Mahmood smoking a cigarette after long day at office in 1953. He was first Pakistani bowler to complete 100 wickets in test cricket. In many aspects, he was called the first superstar who brought glamour into cricket. Before Indo-Pak division, he played for Northern India in Ranji Trophy.

10) Justin Langer 

Australian opener smoking a cigar after Australia’s victory in the first Ashes test match at Lord’s cricket ground in 2005. Everyone is intoxicated in this image.

None of these cricketers endorsed smoking. It was part of their lifestyle which the followed in different times when there were no restrictions. In modern day, if cricketers smoke cigarettes, they will have their career short by a big margin.