Football and cricket are two examples of universal sports that captivate people all over the world. Everybody typically has a sports “idol” that they fervently follow. These well-known athletes are bound to be in the spotlight because of the abundance of sporting events. The list of the top 10 sports personalities in India is provided below.
Sports personalities in India:
1. Virat Kohli:
Arguably the finest batsman of the modern era, Virat Kohli captains the Indian cricket team. Virat Kohli has maintained his prominence through his love of cricket, flamboyance, style, and social activism. Being the first player in history to win all three major ICC Awards, the Indian captain dominated the previous season.
Additionally, in 2019 he captained both the Test and ODI teams for the ICC. Additionally, he continued to be ranked as the best batsman in both the ICC ODI and Test rankings. In the 262 ODIs, he has also amassed over 12300 runs at a strike rate of 92.84.
Away from athletics, he wed Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma in December 2017, and the two have since secured some of the best endorsement contracts of their careers. He rose to prominence as one of India’s most prosperous and well-known sports figures at a very young age.
2. Sachin Tendulkar:
One of the greatest batsmen to have ever laid eyes on a cricket bat, if not the greatest, is Sachin Tendulkar. He is well-known as “The God of Cricket” and “Master Blaster.” In all of the cricket formats, Sachin has scored the most runs. Throughout his 24-year career, he gave Indian Cricket everything he had.
It is hardly shocking to see Sachin on this list in a nation where cricket is the most popular sport and religion combined, with Sachin considered the god of the sport. In cricket, his performances and records will always be the benchmark. He is without a doubt India’s most well-known sports figure.
3. M.S. Dhoni:
One of the smartest cricket players ever, M.S. Dhoni, also known as Mahi, was the captain of the Indian team for a spell. In cricket history, he is the only captain to have captained a team to all three ICC Championships: the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, the 2011 ICC World Cup, and the 2007 ICC T-20 World Cup.
Everybody still gets chills when they watch Dhoni’s game-winning six in the World Cup Finals. Following the September 2016 release of his biopic, Mahi reached the height of his notoriety. The movie went on to become a hit, grossing INR 216 crore at the box office. In 2023, MS Dhoni won his fifth IPL trophy in Ahmedabad after defeating the Gujarat Titans. Dhoni is just another Indian sports celebrity who is well-known.
4. Yuvraj Singh:
Yuvi, also known as Yuvraj Singh, is a legendary retired Indian cricket player. Yuvi played a crucial role in India’s victories in the World Cup in both 2007 and 2011. In the massive 2011 World Cup, he won four Men of the Match awards, making him the tournament’s man of the match.
Yuvi was diagnosed with cancer when he was 29 years old and at the height of his career. However, the prince persevered and overcame death. In international cricket, Yuvi’s record of six sixes in a single over is also legendary. After being left out of the Indian squad for the 2019 World Cup, Yuvraj declared his retirement.
5. Harmanpreet Kaur:
The captain of the Indian women’s cricket team is Harmanpreet Kaur, an Indian cricket player. The 171 runs Harmanpreet Kaur scored against Australia in the 2017 Women’s World Cup semi-finals to help India advance to the finals is her most well-known highlight as an all-around superstar. In 2017, she received the esteemed Arjuna Award from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
When Kaur struck the stumps with her bat after being declared out in July 2023, she sparked controversy during India’s women’s cricket tour of Bangladesh. Under her leadership, the Mumbai Indians won the first-ever WPL in 2023.
6. Mithali Raj:
The captain of India’s women’s ODI cricket team is Mithali Dorai Raj, an Indian woman cricketer. She is the recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2021), the Padma Shri (2015), and the Arjuna Award (2003). Across all formats, she leads Women’s International Cricket in runs scored.
Mithali’s enormous stature, akin to Tendulkar in women’s cricket, has earned her the moniker “Lady Sachin.” Raj caused controversy in the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 when he mishandled the team. In a letter to BCCI, she accused COA member Diana Edulji and coach Ramesh Powar of being biased, humiliating her, and not including her in the T20 World Cup semifinals.
7. Sunil Chhetri:
Famous Indian professional football player Sunil Chhetri plays as a winger or striker. Both Bengaluru FC and the Indian National Football team are captained by him. Known by most as Captain Fantastic, Chhetri is third among active players in terms of goals scored in international matches, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He has scored 92 goals in 142 appearances for his country and is the all-time leading goal scorer for the Indian National Football team.
Chhetri was instrumental in India’s tournament-winning performance on June 18, scoring the first goal in a 2-0 victory over Lebanon in the 2023 Hero Intercontinental Cup final. Sunil is also the player with the most caps for the Indian football team. In a 4-0 victory over Pakistan on June 21, Chhetri scored his fourth hat-trick for the Indian national team in a 2023 SAFF Championship group stage match. Many well-known athletes, including Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, gave him support. In India, he is the most well-known football player.
8. Dutee Chand:
Successful professional sprinter Dutee Chand is the third Indian woman to ever earn a spot in the women’s 100-meter event at the Summer Olympics. At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Chand won silver in the women’s 100-meter event, earning India its first medal since 1998.
Dutee, who is in a same-sex relationship with a man from her village, courageously came out as India’s first openly gay athlete in May 2019. Her parents and the villagers opposed her, calling her act unethical and unacceptable, which is why her revelation garnered a lot of attention. She received support for her courageous choice from the LGBTQ+ community as well as from celebrities worldwide.
9. Neeraj Chopra:
When it comes to the javelin throw or even just athletics in general, Neeraj Chopra is the poster child of India. He surprised everyone by taking home a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the 2016 IAAF World U20 Champion, and breaking the junior world record with 86.48 metres at the U20 championships. With a throw of 85.23 metres in the Asian Athletic Championships in 2017, Neeraj took home another gold medal.
After that, Chopra became one of the few athletes to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in his very first competition. After these outstanding feats, he became the first athlete from India to win the gold medal in the Asian Games’ javelin throw, setting a new national record with 88.06 metres.
He shattered the national record in July 2022 at the Stockholm Diamond League with a throw of 89.94 metres. With a throw of 88.17 metres, he captured the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in August of 2023. Having won multiple medals in international competitions, he is one of the most well-known sports figures in India in 2022–2023.
10. Ravichandran Ashwin:
Indian cricket player R Ashwin is an all-rounder who bowls off-break right-arm. He has played a crucial role in the Indian bowling lineup of the present day. He received a lot of backlash during the IPL after he “mankaded” Rajasthan Royals star batsman Jos Buttler.
In terms of the number of innings required to reach the 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, 250-, 300-, 350-, 400-, and 450-wicket mark in Test cricket, R Ashwin is the fastest bowler from India (and according to some records, the fastest bowler in the world as well). As of March 2023, Ashwin is ranked second among all-rounders and first among bowlers in Test cricket.
So, this was all about the best sports personalities in India. Also read, Cricket to beat football in Most Watched Sport in Asia.
