IPL Stars Who Play Tennis: When Cricketers Serve Aces Instead of Yorkers

🎾 IPL Players Who Play Tennis – And Why They’re Surprisingly Good At It

There’s something charming about seeing a hardcore cricketer swap their bat for a tennis racket — like watching a lion try to dance ballet. It’s majestic, confusing, and weirdly impressive.

We’ve seen cricketers grooving in dance shows, doing push-up contests, even participating in cooking challenges (looking at you, Ashwin's culinary experiments). But tennis? That’s where things get spicy.

Welcome to a world where MS Dhoni doesn't finish off in style with a six, but with an ace down the line. Where Rishabh Pant doesn’t sledge behind the stumps but grunts like Nadal. And AB de Villiers? He’s casually Federer on weekends.

Let’s deep dive into which IPL stars secretly (or not-so-secretly) moonlight as tennis champs, complete with real-world proof, funny takes, and a sprinkle of dark humor, because let’s face it — cricket without banter is like a samosa without chutney.

MSD playing Tennis
MSD playing Tennis

🎾 MS Dhoni – The Tennis Terminator from Ranchi

Let’s start with Captain Cool himself, MS Dhoni. While he might be 42, the man still moves like your Wi-Fi after a reset — smooth, confident, and surprisingly fast.

📰 Fact check: Dhoni has been actively participating in local tennis tournaments in Jharkhand. In 2022 and 2023, he even won doubles titles, playing with his childhood friend Sudhir. In December 2024, a video surfaced of Dhoni sweating it out on the tennis court, just before his much-awaited IPL 2025 return. (Source: TheSportsTak)

🎾 His backhand is as sharp as his captaincy — and you can bet the tennis ball prays before his serve.

Funny Quote: "Dhoni doesn't need Hawk-Eye. He is the Hawk."

💀 Dark Humor Moment: If Dhoni ever enters Wimbledon, expect the ball boys to retire mid-match and switch to volleyball. Safer sport.

🎾 Rishabh Pant – The Comeback King with Killer Smashes

Pant, the guy who once reverse-swept Jimmy Anderson, now casually smashes overhead volleys like he’s auditioning for the next Roger Federer biopic.

📰 Truth Bomb: After surviving a horrifying car crash in December 2022, Pant began his rehabilitation with tennis as a key part of his recovery. In December 2023, after the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai, Pant was spotted playing a high-voltage tennis match with none other than Dhoni himself. Fans watched in awe as he landed a smash so powerful, Dhoni raised his eyebrows — and if you know Dhoni, that’s basically shouting. (Source)

Funny Quote: "Pant's smash was so brutal, the ball asked for early retirement benefits."

🎾 He might have missed IPL 2023 due to injury, but his tennis clips screamed — “I'm coming back harder than the server in your college lab.”

🎾 AB de Villiers – Mr. 360 Goes Wimbledon Mode

AB de Villiers. The name itself brings fear to bowlers and now, apparently, tennis opponents too.

📰 No lies here: AB is known for his all-around sporting skills. A clip that went viral in 2023 showed him casually playing tennis, switching from cricket to court like your ex switches between promises. He’s been good at everything: cricket, rugby, golf, tennis — and probably cooking biryani while blindfolded. (Proof: YouTube Shorts, “AB de Villiers Tennis”)

🎾 His footwork is poetry in motion. And rumor has it, even his tennis shots go for sixes — somehow.

Funny Quote: "If AB plays chess, even the Queen resigns early."

💀 Dark Humor Moment: AB playing tennis is unfair. It’s like Einstein joining a high school math contest. The rest of us are just solving 2+2 while he’s deriving quantum equations mid-volley.

🎾 Why Do IPL Cricketers Love Tennis?

  1. Footwork Mastery: Tennis helps cricketers improve agility and lateral movement. Dhoni’s rapid glovework owes a lot to his tennis obsession.

  2. Fitness Fix: It’s a great cardiovascular workout. Helps keep those love handles in check during off-season.

  3. Mental Strategy: Like cricket, tennis is deeply psychological. Every serve, every shot — calculated chaos.

  4. Because They Can: Let’s face it, when you're a multimillionaire cricketer with six-pack abs and no 9-to-5 job, playing tennis is just another Tuesday.

Funny Quote: "Tennis is just cricket without the sledging — unless you’re mic’d up Pant."

🎾 Amazon India Goodies for Cricket-Tennis Fans

Whether you're a Dhoni fan who now wants to ace serves or just want to cosplay as Rishabh Pant with a racket, here are some top-rated tennis gear picks on Amazon India (with your affiliate links added):

🎾 Head Titanium 1000 Tennis Racket

  • Features: Lightweight alloy frame, good control, includes full cover

  • Price: ₹2,799

  • Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.2/5) – Great for beginners and intermediate players

  •  Buy Now on Amazon​

🎾 Nivia Tennis Balls (Pack of 3)

  • Features: Pressurized, long-lasting, good bounce on all courts

  • Price: ₹299

  • Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.1/5) – “Survived Pant’s smashes!”

  •  Buy Now on Amazon​

🎾 Cosco Lawn Tennis Kit (Racket + Balls + Cover)

  • Features: Budget-friendly starter kit

  • Price: ₹1,799

  • Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0/5) – Perfect for cricket fans turned tennis rookies

  •  Buy Now on Amazon​

🎾 Final Serve – Aces All Around

So the next time you watch an IPL match, remember this: that guy who just hit a helicopter shot might also dominate the tennis court like it’s Wimbledon final. These cricketers aren’t just versatile — they’re shape-shifters in sports.

From Dhoni’s silent intensity to Pant’s wild flair and AB’s supernatural hand-eye coordination, tennis just got cooler. Who knows — in a few years we might just see an IPL Tennis League. And yes, I’m trademarking that right now.

Final Funny Quote: "In 2030, expect a Wimbledon final between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, umpired by Dinesh Karthik. Commentated by Harsha Bhogle in a tracksuit."

0 comments