Murali Vijay and Jonty Rhodes have more than just cricket in common

When he's not knocking balls out of the park, batsman Murali Vijay surfs a mean wave. He shares with ETPanache some sandy details. "It's my love for sport that got me into surfing. I am an adventure-loving guy and exploring newer sports is a passion."

India's former mental conditioning coach, Paddy Upton, introduced Vijay to surfing. "It took me a couple of years to actually start surfing, but that was how it all began," Vijay recalled.

He is not the only cricketer who dons the occasional surfer's cap. He has retired South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes for company. "Jonty also loves this sport and we take part in at least one surf festival every year," Vijay said, adding that waves have taught him life lessons as well. "Surfing for me is love. I love going out there and expressing myself.

Sometimes it's a great stress buster, but most of the time, it is just passion and an urge for some adrenaline."