From Virat Kohli to Faf du Plessis: 10 Cricketers with the Most Fascinating Tattoos

Tattoos have progressed from being frowned upon to becoming somewhat of a fashion statement, not only in cricket but also around the world. In today’s sport, it’s typical to see a cricketer displaying his tattoo.

Cricketers now show off their body art, which includes everything from numerals in different languages to images of warriors to scriptures or the names of their friends and relatives. It not only enhances their personality, but it also boosts the worth of their brand.

So, just to liven things up a little, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten cricketers with tattoos on their bodies:

1. Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum, a former New Zealand captain, has multiple tattoos on his body, most notably on his upper arm. The first tattoo on his upper arm is ‘CXXVI,’ which represents his ODI Cap No. 126 when playing for the Blackcaps.

The next tattoo reads ‘XLII,’ which was his national team jersey number, 42. Another tattoo features ‘CCXXIV’ characters, which represent McCullum’s first Test Cap number 224.

McCullum has also inscribed a Silver Fern on his chest, which represents Kiwi Pride. Because ‘Bazz’ cannot wear his original wedding ring while playing the game, he has a special wedding ring inscribed on his left ring finger.

---

2. Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis has multiple tattoos on his body, each one representing a different aspect of his life. He has one on the side of his ribs that says ‘Grace’ (in Urdu) since he believes God’s grace has altered his life.

Faf also has a quarter sleeve on his arm that deciphers all of his life’s significant events. Another one on the side of his right arm reads ‘Dies a Domino XVII I MMXI,’ which is the sign of his South African international debut at Lord’s in England.

He wears a compass on the side of his arm that points to the Adelaide Oval, where he made his Test debut. He also knows the dates of his marriage and his baptism. Above that is ‘Agape,’ which implies unconditional love.

---

3. KL Rahul

KL Rahul, an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, is a tattoo enthusiast. On his left forearm, he has a ‘Lighthouse’ tattoo that reminds him of the lighthouse near his family’s home in Mangaluru.

Rahul also has a key with ram horns on his left forearm, which is symbolic of his astrological sign, Aries. He also has a ’11 o’clock’ tattoo on his left bicep, which represents the time of his birth.

A Latin phrase “Veni, Vidi, Vici” appears beneath the clock, implying that his time has already begun. Rahul has a ‘open eye’ tattoo on his left bicep, implying that his grandparents are constantly with him and keeping a watch on him.

Rahul like the ‘Batman’ series. He has a script of ‘Deshi Basara’ – which means “to rise up” – from the 2012 Batman flick The Dark Knight Rises. He has also imprinted the number 284 from his Test debut.

Aside from this, he has a dozen other tattoos, including his parents’ names.

---

4. Virat Kohli

Team India skipper Virat Kohli apparently has 11 tattoos all over his body! He has a God’s eye on his left shoulder, above which he has an ‘OM’ tattoo, which stands for peace and spiritualism.

Virat also has a tattoo of a ‘Japanese Samurai warrior’ with a raised sword on his upper left arm. He has also inked the name of his mother ‘Saroj’ and his late father ‘Prem’. He also has numbers ‘175’ and ‘269’ inked on his left shoulder, his ODI and Test caps, respectively.

Virat also has a tattoo of Lord Shiva on his left forearm. A Monastery is also etched on the left side of his shoulder. In addition to this, he has a Scorpio tattoo as well as a tribal tattoo on his right shoulder and forearm.

---

5. Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen, who was born in South Africa, allegedly had the Three Lions tattooed on his bicep shortly after beginning his international career with England. It was a decision he later regretted.

The 42-year-old also has a global map inscribed on his back, with 36 red stars, one for each international century he’s scored for England.

---

6. Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke is one of Australia’s most distinguished cricketers, having captained the team to World Cup triumph in 2015. Many people may now be aware that he once had a tattoo of his ex-fiancee Lara Bingle’s initials etched on his shoulder.

Clarke has a large tattoo of a guardian angel seated on a cross with the letters L.B. written on its top. He also has an Arabian tattoo on his arms that says, “The pain of discipline is similar to the pain of disappointment.”

“Pup” has his parents’ names in Hindi etched on his ribcage, his test number in Roman numerals on his back, and a ‘Carpe Diem’ tattoo on his left forearm.

Last but not least, he has a cloverleaf tattoo with an Unalome and his daughter’s initials, Kelsey Lee, that is KL, in his own handwriting. The tattoo symbolizes faith, hope, love, and good fortune. The universe is represented as an eight-petalled flower mandala inside the cloverleaf.

---

7. Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes is well-known for his numerous tattoos, particularly his spectacular back tattoo. The England Test vice-captain has 13 tattoos covering his entire torso.

Ben has a tattoo of the Lion family covering his entire back. Stokes, who is from New Zealand, has a ‘Kirihuti Maori’ design on his left shoulder to honor his ancestors. He’s also got a ‘Silver Fern’ tattoo on his left shoulder, which is New Zealand’s national symbol.

Ben also has a ‘Rose’ tattoo, which is the national flower of England and represents his tremendous passion for England and its Cricket team, of which he is a member. He has also signed the numbers 658, 58, and 221 for his Test, T20I, and ODI caps, respectively.

Aside from these, he has a ‘Phrase’ tattoo, a ‘Maori Goddess’ tattoo, a ‘Drake quotation’ tattoo, a ‘Phoenix rising from the Ashes’ tattoo, a Peacock Feather’s tattoo, a ‘Leaves and Stars’ tattoo, a ‘unknown’ tattoo, and a tattoo with his son Layton’s name.

---

8. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya, an Indian all-rounder, has eight tattoos on his body. He has a tattoo of faith on his left arm. He also has a Tiger tattoo on his left shoulder, which he considers to be his favorite. The tattoo shows the determination to succeed.

He has a tattoo of ‘Never Give Up’ on his right arm and a tattoo of ‘live to success or die trying’ on his left shoulder. Pandya owns two dogs, Bentley and Aston, and he has their “paws” tattooed on his neck with the initials ‘A’ and ‘B’.

Aside from this, he wears a ‘Peace’ symbol around his neck and a ‘Time defying clock’ on his left forearm, which stores his birth time. Finally, Hardik has an abstract ‘Warrior’ tattoo tattooed on his right forearm.

---

9. Mitchell Johnson

Mitchell Johnson, a former Australian pacer, has a ‘dragon’ and a massive ‘Panther’ tattoo on his torso. “[There’s] a Japanese-style koi, some cherry blossoms with a lucky meaning,” Johnson said at a news conference before the 2010 Ashes.

Like Virat Kohli, he has a ‘OM’ tattoo on his back.

---

10. Dale Steyn

South African pacer Dale Steyn is well-known for his bowling style and pace, but it’s not the only thing that makes him special. He is also well-known for his penchant for tattoos. He has tattoos covering his entire left arm.

Steyn’s tattoo, on the other hand, has a patriotic theme. “It’s the three proteas,” Steyn said to the Times of India. The higher classification of South African flowering plants is Proteas.

“They are all in the colors of the South African flag.” So you’ve got blue, yellow, and red. The leaves are dark, but I am white. Ha-ha, I’m white… that’s a joke I tell. “Some people find it offensive,” Steyn continued.

---

Also Read: The Impact of Technology in Cricket: Enhancing the Game and Decision-Making Processes (cricfiles.com)