Jonty Rhodes Birthday Special: Did you know the legend got the chance to play hockey in the Olympics?

He was also chosen to the 1992 Olympic team for a move to Barcelona, but his side did not qualify for the tournament at the time.

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Happy Birthday Jonty Rhodes.

Today, July 27, Jonty Rhodes, one of the greatest players in the world, turns 52 years old. Rhodes made his South African debut at the 1992 World Cup when he was 22 years old, and his field strength in the covers gave him a unique character.

It was said that the area where Rhodes stood at the boundary, hitting the boundary or playing an aerial shot was practically impossible. In 1993, Rhodes also set the mark for most catches in one-day international innings, which he still holds today.

Inzam ran out of Pakistan's right in the 1992 World Cup group game in Brisbane, which cricket fans still remember. Taking catches while diving against gravity is his specialty. Rhodes also helped South Africa to three test centuries. Few people are aware that he was also a terrific hockey player before deciding to pursue a career in cricket.

 Jonty Rhodes also represented South Africa in Hockey. He was also chosen to the 1992 Olympic team for a move to Barcelona, but his side did not qualify for the tournament at the time. He was later called up for the 1996 Olympic trials, but was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury.

Jonty played 52 Tests and 245 One Day Worlds during his career. With the help of three horns and 17 half centuries, he has a total of 2,532 times in the tests. In his ODI career, he scored two centuries and 33 half centuries for a total of 5,935 runs at an average of approximately 35. He also amassed 9,546 runs in 164 first-class matches, including 22 centuries and 52 half-centuries.

In 2000, he retired from Test cricket to concentrate only on one-day international cricket, and he retired from this format after getting hurt during the 2003 World Cup.

Also Read: Tokyo Olympics 2020: LPU's Rupinder Pal Singh shines as men’s hockey team beats Spain


Flying Bird Jonty Rhodes has developed a great connection with India. He has been visiting India for years, but it wasn't until after his retirement that he developed a stronger bond with the country. And he's still on his discovery path, which is full of surprises and awakenings.

In an interview, he said “I grew up in a racially segregated environment in South Africa during the apartheid era. And India's diversity, across states, is astounding.”

“It's a fantastic opportunity for me to come here and see that diversity,” he says, “because no matter how many times you visit India, there's always something new to discover.”

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According to Rhodes, he now has a strong bond with the country since he "experienced it on the ground level rather than flying over or driving past.”

“From a spiritual perspective, there has been a spiritual awakening where there is such diversity. Then experimenting with food because, as a cricket player, you are always nervous about eating food and don't eat anything strange because you don't want to get sick or have an upset stomach because you have a whole day of cricket ahead of you,” adds Rhodes, whose wife is a yoga instructor.

But now he only eats local food now. Jonty Rhodes concluded that his taste buds are certainly developed, as well as his spirituality.


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