10 cricketers with popular YouTube channels

Until a few decades back, cricketers would have never imagined a video platform like YouTube, through which they could express their views candidly. Playing the gentleman’s game in those days was a means of earning a livelihood for most cricketers and an opportunity to fulfill their passion for many others.

As the popularity of the sport increased around the globe, cricketers started attaining star status, which meant a few brand endorsements and some additional moolah for the players. By the 90s, this had become a trend, especially in India, where the craze for cricket skyrocketed.

The advent of social media has added another intriguing dimension to the relationship between cricketers and fans. Autographs have now been replaced by selfies and direct interactions between players and their admirers on micro-blogging platforms like Twitter.

Cricketers who have turned analysts on YouTube

A number of cricketers, past and present, run their own YouTube channels and have developed an additional fan base due the the same. In this feature, we will you about 10 cricketers who are popular on the video-sharing platform.

(Spoiler Alert! You will find a lot of Indians and Pakistanis here.)

#1 Aakash Chopra

While he had a short international career, former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has gained recognition as an analyst and commentator post-retirement. His YouTube channel has only elevated his stature and fan base. A sane voice on cricket, Chopra’s videos mostly revolve around Indian cricket. He gives valuable insights into the game, both with regards to the technical and mental aspect. Even when he questions team tactics or decisions, Chopra does so without sounding over the top or offensive.

Aakash Chopra’s YouTube stats: Joined - Aug 10, 2011, subscribers - 2.66M, views - 480,430,627

# 2 Shoaib Akhtar

The qualities that made Shoaib Akhtar a hit during his playing days can be spotted in the former speedster’s YouTube videos as well. He is fiery, confrontational and wants to grab the limelight even when his mouth is doing all the talking instead of the cricket ball. He is often seen being critical of Pakistan’s cricketers and the management. There can only be one Shoaib Akhtar after all.

Shoaib Akhtar YouTube stats: Jan 29, 2019, subscribers - 2.67M, views - 231,715,095

#3 Ramiz Raja

Before joining YouTube, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja had already made a name for himself as an incisive commentator. A channel on the video sharing platform has augmented his fan base. Raja prefers to keep his videos short and sweet, but makes his point in a colloquial and, sometimes, cheeky tone. He leaves nothing to imagination.

Ramiz Raja’s YouTube stats: Joined - Jan 8, 2018, subscribers - 1.58M, views - 282,400,577

#4 Ravichandran Ashwin

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube channel is slightly different from the others. He prefers interacting in his native language Tamil, whenever possible, in his videos. Ashwin uses the platform smartly to talk cricket. Famous names like Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara and Sunil Gavaskar, among others, have made an appearance on his YouTube shows. The veteran cricketer’s videos are not just limited to cricket though. He discusses movies and other stuff as well and tries to keep the tone light-hearted.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube stats: Joined - Apr 17, 2020, subscribers - 713K, views - 46,016,062

#5 Inzamam-ul-Haq

Pakistan legend Inzamam-ul-Haq was known as a shy cricketer during his playing days. So it is a bit of a surprise that the former cricketer too has his own YouTube channel. That said, he is not doing badly at all in his online avatar. Haq’s immense knowledge of the game shines through in his in-depth analysis on all matters related to cricket. The ex-Pakistan cricketer does not shy away from either praising or criticizing players and the cricket boards, depending on his opinion.

Inzamam-ul-Haq YouTube stats: Joined - Nov 2, 2019, subscribers - 309K, views - 21,602,627

#6 Sachin Tendulkar

Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar was always renowned as a sharp thinker during his playing days, even though he could not succeed as captain. It is no surprise then that he too has joined the YouTube bandwagon. Just like Inzamam, Tendulkar too utilizes the platform to share his immense knowledge of the game and dissects everything from wins and losses to captaincy and swing bowling. And, much like his batting, he is precise and judicious in his views.

Sachin Tendulkar’s YouTube stats: Joined - Sep 26, 2013, subscribers - 666K, views - 68,904,640

#7 Salman Butt

Banned for his role as Pakistan captain in the infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal, Salman Butt has reemerged over the last few months in a different avatar. The tainted former cricketer is now the angry voice of Pakistan cricket. He makes an appearance daily on his YouTube show and answers cricket-related queries from a journalist. Butt has an opinion on everything from India’s World Test Championship (WTC) final loss against New Zealand to Sri Lanka’s downfall in recent years. When it comes to Pakistan cricket, the former opener is mostly seen lashing out at the administration.

Salman Butt’s YouTube stats: Joined - Oct 30, 2019, subscribers - 57.4K, views - 3,452,235

#8 Kamran Akmal

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal is also on YouTube. Although he still plays domestic cricket and T20 franchise leagues, the cricketer manages to find enough time to appear constantly on his YouTube channel. Akmal mostly shares his personal opinion on the latest happenings in Pakistan cricket and gives a detailed analysis. When he deems it apt, Akmal also speaks about Indian cricket. He has been very vocal in his support of Virat Kohli recently.

Kamran Akmal’s YouTube stats: Joined - Jul 18, 2020, subscribers - 113K, views - 7,291,849

#9 Pat Cummins

A relatively new entrant to the video-sharing platform, Pat Cummins’ YouTube channel is quickly gaining popularity for its offbeat content. The Australian fast bowler shares interesting vlogs, which give fans an insider view of the cricketer’s personal life. He began his YouTube channel by posting a video on his journey from Australia to India for IPL 2021. In his most recent vlog, he is seen spending time with his family at his childhood home and visiting his farm.

Pat Cummins’ YouTube stats: Joined - Apr 1, 2021, subscribers - 181K, views - 2,973,574

#10 Brad Hogg

Like during his playing career, Brad Hogg is a dark horse in this list as well. The former Australian left-arm Chinaman bowler has some interesting cricket-centric content to offer on his YouTube channel. Hogg has great command over his online presence and his interactions are vibrant even though he is the only one speaking. The former cricketer makes it a point to include viewer queries in his shows and answers them diligently.

Brad Hogg’s YouTube stats: Joined - Jul 12, 2012, subscribers - 115K, views - 7,227,900

(Note: All stats taken from the 'About' section of cricketers' YouTube channels, updated till July 7.)

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