In good company: Kohli's Bruno, Rahul's Simba follow their masters on tours
Here's a look at some cricketers who share a bond with their furry friends.
By Rohan Abraham, ET Bureau |
Agencies
On a summer’s day in 1827, a thoroughbred sheepdog took the field alongside its master, Francis Trumper, a farmer, who was challenged to a game of two-a-side cricket by a couple of gentlemen from Middlesex. The absurd contest drew considerable attention, but the odds were stacked against the human-canine duo. It was decided that Trumper would bat on his dog’s behalf in the two-inning game.
According to The Times, “The dog always stood near his master as he was going to bowl, and the moment the ball was hit, he kept his eye upon it and started after it with speed.” It retrieved the ball with great agility, denying the gentlemen time to sneak in a run. Over the course of the match, the gentlemen were restricted to six runs from two innings, with the pairing of Trumper and his indefatigable dog, defying the odds to win the contest with a wicket in hand.
Dogs have been great in the art of fielding, but their involvement with the gentleman’s game has been restricted since Trumper’s anonymous canine put in the first match-winning performance by a fielder. Modern cricketers, however, do not have the luxury of taking the field with their dogs. That has not restricted the role that pets play in their downtime. Here are cricketers who share bonds with their furry friends.
Mitchell Starc
Starc and Alyssa Healy, Australian cricket’s power couple, are known to be fond of canines. They have a couple of dogs who accompany them on visits to the gym and on beach runs, according to posts on their social media feeds.
JP Duminy
Like his compatriot, Steyn, the southpaw keeps a dog, Dimples. The Cape Town-based NGO, African Tails rescued Dimples from the streets of Eerste River when she was 10 weeks old.
Stuart Broad
The England allrounder’s pet dog, Jackson, accompanies him on his morning walks. However, on returning home one day after being hit by a bouncer, a brokennosed Broad posted a video of him being ignored by Jackson, as he was unrecognisable, owing to his bandaged snout.
Steven Finn
The English paceman’s pet, Mousse, is his self-proclaimed ‘bestie’. Finn goes for long strolls with his dog in the English countryside.
Dale Steyn
The South African pacer has an army of five dogs, including a Labrador and a couple of Yorkshire terriers. “My dogs are my family. I grew up in the bush and I’ve always loved animals,” he said in an interview. In the past, he has compared the South African bowling attack to a “pack of wild dogs”, ready to wear down opposition batsmen with ferocity and persistence.
KL Rahul
The India batsman is the proud owner of a Chow Chow, a very rare breed of dog. Simba, his dog, even has his own Instagram account, where he is seen hobnobbing with his master’s teammates.
Virat Kohli
Kohli is the proud master of Bruno, a Beagle, which has become a fixture on the Indian skipper’s Twitter and Instagram accounts. He recently adopted 15 stray dogs at a shelter, Charlie’s Animal Rescue Centre (CARE), in Bengaluru. Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma have also been spotted cradling pups on social media.
According to The Times, “The dog always stood near his master as he was going to bowl, and the moment the ball was hit, he kept his eye upon it and started after it with speed.” It retrieved the ball with great agility, denying the gentlemen time to sneak in a run. Over the course of the match, the gentlemen were restricted to six runs from two innings, with the pairing of Trumper and his indefatigable dog, defying the odds to win the contest with a wicket in hand.
By Maleeva Rebello
On his birthday recently, cricketer Hardik Pandya gifted himself a new pet — a terrier named Bentley. Let’s take a look at other sport stars and their furry best friends.
Image: Hardik Pandya/Instagram
Dogs have been great in the art of fielding, but their involvement with the gentleman’s game has been restricted since Trumper’s anonymous canine put in the first match-winning performance by a fielder. Modern cricketers, however, do not have the luxury of taking the field with their dogs. That has not restricted the role that pets play in their downtime. Here are cricketers who share bonds with their furry friends.
Mitchell Starc
Starc and Alyssa Healy, Australian cricket’s power couple, are known to be fond of canines. They have a couple of dogs who accompany them on visits to the gym and on beach runs, according to posts on their social media feeds.
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JP Duminy
Like his compatriot, Steyn, the southpaw keeps a dog, Dimples. The Cape Town-based NGO, African Tails rescued Dimples from the streets of Eerste River when she was 10 weeks old.
Stuart Broad
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The England allrounder’s pet dog, Jackson, accompanies him on his morning walks. However, on returning home one day after being hit by a bouncer, a brokennosed Broad posted a video of him being ignored by Jackson, as he was unrecognisable, owing to his bandaged snout.
Steven Finn
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The English paceman’s pet, Mousse, is his self-proclaimed ‘bestie’. Finn goes for long strolls with his dog in the English countryside.
Dale Steyn
The South African pacer has an army of five dogs, including a Labrador and a couple of Yorkshire terriers. “My dogs are my family. I grew up in the bush and I’ve always loved animals,” he said in an interview. In the past, he has compared the South African bowling attack to a “pack of wild dogs”, ready to wear down opposition batsmen with ferocity and persistence.
KL Rahul
The India batsman is the proud owner of a Chow Chow, a very rare breed of dog. Simba, his dog, even has his own Instagram account, where he is seen hobnobbing with his master’s teammates.
Virat Kohli
Kohli is the proud master of Bruno, a Beagle, which has become a fixture on the Indian skipper’s Twitter and Instagram accounts. He recently adopted 15 stray dogs at a shelter, Charlie’s Animal Rescue Centre (CARE), in Bengaluru. Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma have also been spotted cradling pups on social media.
Forget jailbirds. Cats, squirrels and even bears have entered a life of crime that has resulted in them being arrested, tried and even jailed. Read on to find out about these law breaking furry friends.
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