New Delhi [India], August 13 : Former India quick Rudra Pratap Singh and decorated spin bowling maestro Anil Kumble recalled the hilarious moments when fans recognised them as other cricketers.
Just like the buzz of top actors from Hollywood and Bollywood, the world of cricket has had its fair share of glamour. England's charming former opener, Alastair Cook, has been likened to Henry Cavill.
India's batting maestro Virat Kohli has been likened to Dominic Cooper, while former South Africa tearaway Dale Steyn has often sparked comparisons with James Bond star Daniel Craig.
However, Rudra Pratap's recent revelation has left him with arguably one of the most versatile lists of lookalikes. From being linked to seasoned opener Rohit Sharma and even the flamboyant actor George Clooney, Rudra Pratap's claims indeed leave him with the most impressive names.
"I've been mistaken for Rohit Sharma on several occasions, not just once, but many times. And it doesn't stop there. Someone even called me 'George Clooney' once on social media. I told them, 'Now that's too much!'" Rudra Pratap said in the latest episode of JioHotstar special 'Cheeky Singles'.
India's former ball-tweaking stalwart Kumble has been associated with former India legends, including Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath and many more. However, one particular linkup left him baffled.
"Many things have happened to me, too. People have called me Javagal Srinath; that's fine. Some said Ravi Shastri, that's also fine. Kapil Dev, fine as well. Some even thought I was Azharuddin -- that's okay. But in the US, people came up to me and said, 'You are Sunil Gavaskar.' That one was a bit much," Kumble said.
During his prime years, RP Singh was one of India's star-studded fast-bowling mainstays. He played a pivotal role in steering India to the T20 World Cup title in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007. He made 82 appearances for India across all formats and scythed 124 wickets. He announced his retirement from international cricket in 2018.
On the other hand, Kumble pulled the curtains down on his career with 619 Test scalps and 337 ODI wickets. His tally of 619 Test wickets is the most by an Indian bowler.
He is also India's leading wicket-taker in ODIs and international cricket as a whole. With 2,506 runs in 132 Tests at an average of 17.77, one century and five fifties, he was also a handy batter in Tests.