Even as there is high pressure as players take the field on the cricket field and battle it out at the international stage, there is still some scope for a banter between the players. Meanwhile, there are also instances which might not be as funny for the players in the heat of the moment but produce a funny moment for fans watching the sport from the comfort of their homes. The introduction of the stump microphones has also added its own thrill and given watching live sports a flavour of its own, with those watching now able to listen closely to the words exchanged between players or a sledging attempt, if any made by a player.
Let us have a look at five hilarious remarks made by the players during an international contest that went viral and continue to be etched in the memories of the fan, long after the occurance of the incidents.
1. Sreesanth Gets A Wake Up Call From Dhoni
Number 1 on this list is one that all MS Dhoni fans won't forget. Dhoni was leading India in a Test match against New Zealand back in 2011 when he wanted Sreesanth a bit squarer than where he was stationed on the field. It was in this scenario that Dhoni made a hilarious remark, saying: Oye Sree, girlfriend nahi hai udhar, idhar aaja thoda. (Sreesanth your girlfriend is not there, please come a little squarer)."
2. Tim Paine Asks Rishabh Pant To Babysit
In a Test match of India's historic tour of Australiai in 2020-21 where they came back from 36 all out to go on to win the series, the tourists found themselves in a strong position in one of the Tests. It was in this situation that Rishabh Pant walked in to bat. Australia captain Tim Paine and Pant were constantly getting involved in verbal exchanges in this series and a similar thing happned in this situation with Paine reminding Pant that the Indian wicketkeeper been axed from India's white-ball squad with MS Dhoni returning.
Paine then hilariously asked Pant to babysit his kids, given that he would have some time off.
"Do you babysit? I can take my wife to the movies while you watch the kids."
3. Dhoni Reminds Jadeja Pujara Is Not On The Field To Clap And Applaud
Over the course of his career, Dhoni gave many an epic stump mic moments. One of those came during a Test match between India and New Zealand in 2014 being played in Wellington. When Dhoni found all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja not following his intrsuction, he reminded him of the field placements in his own style, saying that he had kept Cheteshwar Pujara for a purpose not for clapping and applauding the action.
"Ispe ek ghumega toh idhar Pujara ko ussi ke liye rakha hai, who udhar taali bajane ke liye nahi hai," Dhoni was heard saying in the viral clip which loosely translatd to - "If the ball turns, I have kept Pujara there to catch. He is not standing there just to clap."
4. Pollard's 'I've Never Played A Test Match' Taunt To Pakistan Openers
Kieron Pollard is quite an animated characted on the field. Apart from his performance with the ball and ball and on the field with acrobatic catches, he time and again shushes the opposition with his words and gestures as well at the heat of the moment. He famously taped his mouth once when the umpire asked him to keep quiet. During a West Indies vs Pakistan ODI fixture in 2013 when Pakistan needed 233 to win and their openers Ahmed Shehzad and Nasir Jamshed were off to a cautious start with the team managing just 11 runs from the first 7 overs, Pollard remaked: "I have never played a Test match before, but I am seeing it now."
5. Ashish Nehra Hurls Out An Abuse In Frustration As India Drop Shahid Afridi
In an ODI match between Pakistan and India in 2005, Ashish Nehra hurled out an abuse in nothing but frustration as a catch out chance of Pakistan's Shahid Afridi went down. MS Dhoni was the gloveman who couldn't hold on to the catch with a slip also stationed. The incident in retrospect became a hilarious reference point with Dhoni going on to become one of the finest wicketkeepers and Nehra playing under him.
"I distinctly remember that match in Visakhapatnam. It was the second ODI of that series. In a video that went viral, I am seen hurling abuses at MS after an edge off Shahid Afridi’s bat goes between Dhoni and Rahul Dravid at first slip," Nehra later told Times Of India.
"People assume it’s from the Vizag match, but that incident is from the fourth ODI in Ahmedabad. However, I must admit I am not proud of my behaviour," he added.