A Photo, a Bag & Bat Taped to the Ceiling: Cricket’s Lucky Charms

The Quint takes a look at some of the bizarre superstitions practised by cricketers over the years.

Apart from enhancing one’s skill and talent, luck has also been a primary concern for many sportspersons around the world.

Most of them, especially cricketers have practised some or the other superstition to boost their confidence.

So much so, that the superstitions have become as important as hard work for the players.

Here’s a look at some of the bizarre superstitions practised by cricketers over the years.

1. McKenzie Straps His Bat to the Ceiling

If there was a competition for the strangest superstition ever, the winner will be Neil McKenzie hands down.

The former South African batsman used to strap a bat to the ceiling and made sure that all the toilet seats were down and the lights were off in the locker room, every time he went out to bat.

Once, when he was batting in the middle, McKenzie’s teammates decided to play a prank on him and strapped his bat to the ceiling of the dressing room. That day, the South African scored a century and hence, the superstition was born.

2. Mohinder Amarnath’s Red Handkerchief

Former Indian all-rounder, Mohinder Amarnath scored eleven Test hundreds and two ODI centuries. He also won the man of the match award for his performance in the 1983 World Cup final.

His skill and determination certainly helped him to be successful but there was something else that aided him

Amarnath carried a red handkerchief in his pocket every time he went out to play. The handkerchief was Amarnath’s secret to success.

3. Sourav Ganguly’s Guruji Photo

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly led India to many memorable victories. He was a nightmare for the opening bowlers at one point when he used to open the batting in ODIs alongside Sachin Tendulkar.

The second most successful Indian Test skipper, who captained India to 21 wins in the whites had his guruji’s picture in his pocket all along. He believed the picture brought him luck every time he went out on the field.

4. Ashwin’s Lucky Bag

Yuvraj Singh may have won the player of the tournament for his all-round performance in the 2011 World Cup, but the real hero for the Indian team was the off-spinner R Ashwin’s bag.

Even though he played only two games in the entire competition, Ashwin carried the bag for every match, since he believed the bag was lucky for the entire team.

5. Dale Steyn’s Entry Onto the Ground

Ever wondered why Dale Steyn is a potent force in the cricket world today? It’s definitely not only because of his aggression or his perseverance, but it is also because every time he goes on the field, he puts his left foot forward with looks up at the sky.

Now we know how the spearhead has taken over 600 wickets in all formats of international cricket.