The arc of a sportsperson is complete only when one overcomes all odds. It is imperative to not only scale the heights but witness the lows too. There have been many Cricketers Who Came Back Strong Post Controversies.
These incidents have often always pulled them down. Their careers have gone down haywire since then. But only a few of them managed to make a comeback despite all the odds. They overturned all obstacles to make an inspiring comeback.
We look at 5 such Cricketers Who Came Back Strong Post Controversies:
#5 Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya is one cricketer who finds himself under the spotlight. His flashy lifestyle always comes under the scanner. Pandya was embroiled in a huge controversy when he appeared on a chat show in 2018. His remarks caught people off-guard. The team distanced themselves from his comments. He was soon dropped from the team. But Pandya made a roaring comeback showing his worth in the side.
#4 Steve Smith
Steve Smith was the Australian captain during the ill-fated tour of South Africa. It was a highly fought series until that dark moment. Australia were accused of ball-tampering. They were caught red-handed using sandpaper to change the ball’s nature. Cricket Australia banned Smith for a year. He was axed from captaincy.
But the team dearly missed their best batsman. Smith made a comeback in World Cup 2019. He then had arguably the best individual series of the century in Ashes smashing 774 runs in 4 Tests. Smith’s career turned a full circle.
#3 Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes was always known for his fierce temperament. It all came down to a boiling point when he punched a person outside a pub in England. Stokes was dropped from the Ashes tour down under in 2017-18. There were severe questions asked about his place in the England squad. Stokes answered in the best manner possible. He played pivotal roles in England’s maiden World Cup win in 2019 and in levelling the Ashes a month later.
#2 KL Rahul
KL Rahul’s only chink in his international career up until now was appearing on the controversial chat show. Rahul was low-key throughout the episode and didn’t really cause any flutter. But him being present alongside Hardik Pandya on the show riled up people.
He soon became a subject of controversy. Rahul was low on confidence post the incident. He lost his place in the Test side. But Rahul turned around things spectacularly in a span of a year. He is now the vice-captain across formats for India on their tour to South Africa.
#1 David Warner
There is no career that compares to a roller-coaster as that of David Warner. He has always been controversy’s favourite child. But the sandpaper gate scandal was too big even for Warner’s shoes. He too much like Smith was handed a year suspension.
But Warner rose like a phoenix. He won the orange cap in 2019. His career was at crossroads again post IPL 2021. But Warner came out strong and won the player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup 2021.
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