In cricket, rivalries often get more attention than close friendships. This Friendship Day, let’s look at the 12 most iconic duos of friends in the sport and their stories.
Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill: Childhood friends from Punjab who played age-group cricket and dominated tournaments together. During their Under-19 India days, their photos and short videos would often go viral. Their bond remains strong, now lighting up the IPL and international cricket with their camaraderie on and off the field. (PC: Sportzpics)
Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh: Another Punjabi duo, their camaraderie is legendary, rooted in years of domestic cricket and shared dressing rooms. Known for their endless banter, the World Cup winners have often described each other as family.
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Best friends in the Indian team, always seen pulling each other’s leg. Their fun reels and close bond off the field make them fan favorites worldwide. They also hosted a show together!
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MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina: Their friendship is so deep that Raina retired just minutes after Dhoni on August 15, 2020. The “Thala” and “Chinna Thala” duo defined CSK’s culture for over a decade. Their families are also close and often seen sitting together in matches.
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Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara: Sri Lankan icons whose friendship extended well beyond cricket. They co-own the famed “Ministry of Crab” restaurant. Their mutual respect and leadership made them one of the game’s greatest duos.
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Alex Hartley and Kate Cross: Former England teammates turned podcast partners, their ‘No Balls’ show highlights their witty chemistry. Even after Hartley’s retirement, their friendship continues to thrive beyond cricket. PS: Hartley is an RCB fan while Cross loves CSK but that rivalry hasn’t come in between them!
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AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli: Their bond blossomed at RCB. Even after ABD’s retirement, they remain close, often cheering each other on publicly and sharing secrets too. Kohli didn’t waste a second to invite ABD to celebrate the IPL 2025 title with, even though the South African had retired long ago.
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Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma: Known for their hilarious chemistry on and off the field, pranks and legendary opening partnerships, the ‘Gabbar’ and ‘Hitman’ pairing is simply iconic.
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Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar: Once fierce rivals, they developed a deep respect that turned into genuine friendship. Warne often visited India to meet Sachin, and they even played charity matches together post-retirement. Warne was also a huge part of Sachin’s autobiography.
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Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah: Beyond being Bangladesh stalwarts, they are also brothers-in-law through marriage. Their family ties and long-standing partnership have made them inseparable on and off the field.
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Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa: Known for their hilarious “bromance,” they became fan favorites during Australia’s bio-bubble days. Stoinis even jokingly referred to Zampa as his “husband,” cementing their playful friendship. They were captured like this on camera several times. The cover photo is of a valentine’s day post BBL made for them. They are also coffee mates!
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Joe Root and Ben Stokes: England’s most feared Test players and longtime teammates whose friendship blossomed through shared battles. “Our relationship goes deeper and further than just teammates,” Stokes said in 2022.
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