Ever since India attained the status of a Test playing nation over eight decades back, cricketers have enjoyed a super star like status and been hailed as role models for the budding young cricketing talents who aspire to become like their heroes and dream of doning the Indian jersey and play for their motherland.
With cricketers and their fans sharing a very special connect and deep bond, the latter have given their heroes nicknames which have become as popular as their names among the cricketing diaspora all over the world. Not only their fellow team mates but the players in the opposition camps also address them fondly by their nicknames.
So let us have a look at the nicknames of some of most successful and popular cricketers to have represented India in the international arena
SACHIN TENDULKAR - MASTER BLASTER
If cricket is a religion in India, Sachin Tendulkar is considered as God by the die hard fans across the length and breadth of this mighty sub continent. While Sunil Gavaskar got popularly nicknamed 'Little Master' owing to his mastery at dominating attacks, Sachin Tendulkar carried on that baton from his illustrious predecessor and went onto become the 'Master Blaster' in international cricket.
Short in height like Gavaskar, Sachin grew taller in his stature with every milestone he conquered and every record he broke. He was rightfully nicknamed 'Master Blaster' considering the sheer dominance he had over the best of bowlers for almost two decades at the very pinnacle in international cricket.
RAHUL DRAVID - THE WALL
Rahul Dravid would go down as one of the most technically sound batsmen to have ever graced Test cricket. With a water tight technique and solid defence, Dravid became the lynchpin of the Indian middle order with batting great Sachin Tendulkar for over a decade and a half.
His impeccable temperament, tons of patience and ability to occupy crease to play those marathon tons in testing conditions earned him the nickname the 'Wall'. As per Dravid, the nickname 'Wall' became immensely popular when one of the newspapers used the word to describe him post one of his knocks.
Dravid often stood between victory and defeat for India in high octane Test matches against quality bowling attacks in seam friendly conditions in England, Australia and South Africa.
SOURAV GANGULY - DADA
Sourav Ganguly is widely regarded as one of the best skippers to have lead India in both Test and ODI cricket in the international arena.
As Indian skipper, Ganguly infused a sense of dodged competitiveness and never say die attitude in the Indian team to take on formidable oppositions in their backyard. The results were there for everyone to see as India improved their track record overseas by leaps and bounds.
Known as the 'Prince Of Kolkata' for his flamboyant batting through the off side, the elegant left handed batsman got more famously nicknamed as 'Dada'. 'Dada' means elder brother in Bengali, the mother tongue spoken in the cricketer's home state of Bengal.
VIRAT KOHLI - CHEEKU
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has stamped his name in the world of international cricketer as one of the modern day batting greats.
Kohli is hailed by cricketing experts and analysts as one of the most prolific run scorers in all three formats of the game. Not only has Kohli impressed with his batting but has also emerged as an able leader to skipper the 'Men in Blue' in all three forms of the game.
In one of his interviews to a leading media daily, Virat Kohli revealed how he got his nickname 'Cheeku'. Kohli rolled back the years to his early years with the Delhi Ranji team and said that he got his nickname 'Cheeku' from coach Ajit Chaudhary in the state team. Kohli recalled that he used to have big cheeks back then and had got his hair cut very short which stood out with his big ears.
He resembled a rabbit from the highly popular comic character called Champak. Hence, the coach started calling him 'Cheeku' because he had big ears and that is where the nickname came to the fore and eventually got popular in the cricketing fraternity.
ANIL KUMBLE - JUMBO
India spin wizard Anil Kumble who is considered one of the greatest spinners of all time was fondly called Jumbo by his team mates and around the cricketing circles. Not a big turner of the red cherry, Kumble outfoxed batsman with his subtle variations a top spinner, a quicker one and the flipper.
Kumble in one of his interviews revealed that his nickname 'Jumbo Jet' had been given by Navjot Sidhu during an Irani Trophy match. The major reason behind why Kumble was given this nickname by Sidhu was due to the sheer speeds at which he bowled to batsmen as a spinner.
Kumble racked up decent speeds as a spinner and yet managed to get the ball to turn. As the years passed by, jet from 'Jumbo Jet' withered off and Kumble was fondly called 'Jumbo' by his Indian team mates and the commentators till the very end of his cricketing career.