10 most Trolled cricketers in the world

Steve Smith, Rohit Sharma and Sarfaraz Ahmed. (Photo Source: Twitter)

In cricket, fans do not hesitate to shower praises on players when they deliver match-winning performances. Former India captain MS Dhoni’s colossal fan following is the biggest example that how fans will show their support and love when you do your job passionately and efficiently. In the age of social media, negative criticism can affect cricketers mentally. India opener Shubman Gill revealed how online trolling impacted him.

Shubman Gill is not the only one who became the victim of online trolling. There are several players who fall prey to internet trollers due to their failures. India pacer Mohammed Siraj has also gone through negative trolling several times due to his non-performance. Along with the internet trolling, nowadays spectators at stadiums also don’t mind taking down players with their slogans.

Here are the 10 most trolled players in international cricket

10. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar)

India skipper Rohit Sharma is one of the illustrious players in international cricket due to his ferocious batting style. However, for the last three years, he is going through a difficult phase, and nowadays, he also encounters severe criticism from former players of the Indian cricket team.

Sometimes, things go out of hand as his staunch critics do not mind getting personal. The fan fight between supporters of Virat Kohli and Rohit often gets ugly on social media as the former’s fans troll Rohit and comment on his body. In November 2022, when Kohli’s gym pics went viral, the former India skipper’s supporters came heavily on the current India captain for his weight, form, and fitness.

During the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, spectators strived to shatter Rohit’s confidence with ‘Rohit Vadapav’ chants.

9. Steven Smith

Steve Smith.(Photo Source: Twitter)

Steven Smith is one of the best Test batters in the current times. In his 13-year international career, the Australia veteran has won a lot of games with his potential and skills. However, in these 13 years, Smith has also gone through tough phases of his life. Smith, who was the Australia captain during his team’s tour of South Africa in 2018, got involved in the ball-tampering scandal along with teammates David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Following the incident, Cricket Australia (CA) banned Smith for a year for breaching the code of conduct. After getting banned, Smith also came out for a press conference, in which he was seen crying and repenting (of his actions). The infamous ball-tampering incident tarnished his image and since then, the Australia batting maestro’s critics try to bring him down reminding him about the infamous episode.

During India versus Australia game in the World Cup 2019 at the Oval, spectators attempted to troll Smith but Virat Kohli, who was present at the crease, intervened and asked fans to cheer for him. In the Ashes 2023, England supporters raised ‘We saw you cry on Telly’ slogans to embarrass Smith.

8. Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad. (Photo Source: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

England paceman Stuart Broad is known for his disciplined bowling in Test cricket. In his international Test career, the dashing right-arm speedster has won a lot of matches for his side. Along with immense success, Broad is accustomed to online trolling from internet users as well.

In 2022, Broad conceded 35 runs against Jasprit Bumrah in a Test match against India. Following that, Indian fans trolled him mercilessly, drawing a comparison between his hammering at the hands of Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the beating from Bumrah in 2022.

After a couple of months, Broad again faced the wrath of trollers after the England pacer ridiculed Deepti Sharma for runing Charlie Dean out on the non-striker end during India vs England Women’s One-Day International (WODI) match held at the iconic Lord’s.

7. KL Rahul

KL Rahul. (Photo Source: BCCI)

KL Rahul started his international career with a bang in December 2014. In the initial phase of his career, he looked incredible with his bat and helped the Indian team to win a lot of games with his match-winning performances. In the last few years, his performance has witnessed a huge plunge.

In recent times, Rahul has been a favourite target of online trolls due to his non-performance. During the 2022 T20 World Cup, Indian cricket fans came heavily on Rahul after he failed to produce effective knocks from his bat in the first two matches. Following his brief nine-run knock against the Netherlands, a lot of Twitter users accused Rahul of being the biggest fraud in world cricket.

Rahul became the victim of trolls again in May 2023 when a video of him surfaced on social media, in which he was allegedly spotted partying at a club. The video drew immediate reactions from trolls as they accused the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of spending money on Rahul’s visit to the club. Earlier, in the same month, Rahul talked about the social media trolling on the Ranveer Show. He said that trolling affected him and other players from time to time.

6. Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya of India. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Hardik Pandya has become a huge figure in international cricket with his diligence and skills. While his elder brother Krunal Pandya is yet to build his career to that level in the international arena. However, in the IPL, he has given some notable performances, and has become an imminent figure.

In IPL 2023, he also captained Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the absence of the regular skipper, KL Rahul. During the competition, the 32-year-old got trolled during his team’s game against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Lucknow. In the match, Krunal got retired hurt at a score of 49, due to an injury.

However, several social media users alleged that Krunal faked his injury to bring Nicholas Pooran at the crease to increase LSG’s run rate. In the past, there are several instances to recount when online trollers targeted Krunal. In November 2018, fans brutally trolled Pandya for leaking 55 runs against Australia at the Gabba.

5. Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Vijay Shankar has played a few games in his international career and in all his appearances, he failed to provide anything solid to the Indian team. In the Nidahas Trophy 2018 final, India beat Bangladesh by four wickets, riding on Dinesh Karthik’s rapid 29-run knock off just eight deliveries.

In the game, Shankar also went back to the pavilion after playing an underconfident knock of 17 off 19. His slow innings could’ve cost India the game as he had left the team in a perilous situation. After the match, Indian team supporters expressed their anger at Shankar for his lethargic innings.

Trollers attacked Shankar again after India’s 2019 World Cup match against the West Indies. After receiving back-to-back opportunities in the marquee event, Shankar failed to live up to the expectations. Things went worse for Shankar when he got dismissed on 14 off 19. Following his failure in the West Indies game, netizens didn’t show mercy on the all-rounder and trolled him heavily.

4. Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Mushfiqur Rahim is an iconic cricketer in the current Bangladesh squad. Since 2005, Rahim is active for Bangladesh in the international circuit. Currently, the wicketkeeper batter is considered the most successful and illustrious cricketer for Bangladesh, following Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan.

However, the Bangladesh legend also becomes a victim of trolls sometimes. In 2017, he posted a picture of his workout on Twitter, in which he could be spotted lifting a lot of weight. Reacting to his image, Twitteratis trolled Rahim for his extreme workout session.

Rahim participated in the 2019 IPL to get a buyer but went unsold as no franchise showed interest in him. Following this development, trollers took advantage of the situation and got active on social media sites to turn the Bangladesh veteran into a laughing stock.

3. Hasan Ali

Pakistani bowler Hasan Ali. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Hasan Ali debuted for Pakistan in international cricket in 2016. In the 2017 Champions Trophy, Hasan took 13 wickets in five matches at an economy of 4.29 and became the leading wicket-taker in the competition. For his scintillating performance, Pakistan fans hailed him.

In the 2021 World Cup semi-final against Australia, Pakistan lost the match due to Hasan’s dropped catch against Matthew Wade. The mistake from the pacer caused furore among Pakistan fans and they showed their unforgiving attitude on social media sites, abusing him mercilessly on social media platforms. Some trollers also targeted Hasan, saying that the speedster intentionally dropped the catch as he was taking revenge from Pakistan for the Shia persecution in the country.

Hasan also became a victim of moral policing in June 2022 for posting a couple of images of his wife and daughter. Reacting to the pictures, some social media trolls questioned the character of the Pakistan pacer and his wife, Samiya Arzoo. Some also didn’t hesitate to object Samiya’s choice of clothes.

2. Sarfaraz Ahmed

Sarfaraz Ahmed. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has often been to a target of trolls. After the humiliating 89-run defeat against India in the 2019 World Cup, Sarfaraz got trolled for yawning during the massive game. Following India’s win in the game, derogatory memes were spread against Sarfaraz.

During the 2019 World Cup, Sarfaraz also got harassed and body-shamed by a Pakistani supporter while he was in public with his son. Earlier, during the 2017 Champions Trophy, several netizens trolled the wicketkeeper batter for his poor English speaking skills.

In 2020, Sarfaraz dropped an eight-second clip in which he was heard saying “We are looking gora (fair), bro.” When the video went viral, Sarfaraz’s comment was received in bad taste. Many social media followers also called the veteran batter racist for his comment.

1. Ahmed Shehzad

Ahmed Shehzad of Pakistan. (Photo by Vivek Prakash-IDI/Getty Images)

Ahmed Shehzad, the opening Pakistan batter, has been subject to online trolls several times during his cricketing career. In 2017, Shehzad got trolled mercilessly during Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies. While fielding in the second T20 International (T20I), Shehzad got injured but several social media users accused him of acting.

After a few months, several netizens called Shehzad the ‘Drama Queen of Pakistan’ for dropping his post-workout picture on Twitter. A lot of social media users looked harsh towards the right-handed batter, saying that he is out of the national squad and should focus on his game.

During the 2018 Pakistan general elections, Shehzad shot a video and requested citizens of his nation to go out and vote. However, Shehzad, who had failed a dope test a few days before posting the video, faced backlash from Pakistan team fans for sharing his advice through the video.

In 2022, the Lahore-born player gave an interview to Pakistani journalist Syed Yahya Hussaini. During the interview, the journalist asked who he would like to play his character in his biopic. Answering the journalist, Shehzad said that he would Hollywood star Brad Pitt to play his role in his biopic. When Shezad’s interview went viral, Twitteratis trolled the opening batter mercilessly.