5 cricketers who changed their names: There have been many cricketers in the world of cricket whose identities suddenly changed on the field. This list includes names like Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf and Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan, who not only changed their names but also changed their religion. Meanwhile, England captain Josh Butler and Afghanistan's Asghar Afghan also gave a new twist to their identities. What was the real reason behind these big decisions? Know the interesting and surprising story of the name changes of these 5 legendary cricketers.

We know any cricketer in the world by their name and the records they make on the field. But did you know that there have been many legendary cricketers in cricket history who completely changed their names mid-career or at a particular juncture? Some did so due to religious conversion, others due to their cultural identity or personal preference. The latest name to be added to the list of these cricketers who changed their names is England's explosive batsman Jos Buttler. Joseph Charles Buttler changed his name from Jos Buttler to Josh Buttler two years ago, i.e. in 2024, while releasing a video message.

Pakistan's legendary batsman Yousuf Youhana is the most prominent name on this list. Youhana was born into a Christian family and was the fourth Christian cricketer to play for Pakistan. However, in 2005, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Mohammad Yousuf. His game improved significantly after his conversion, and in 2006, he set the world record for most Test runs (1,788 runs) in a calendar year, a record that is almost impossible to break. Yousuf also holds the record for most centuries (9) and most scores of 150+ in a calendar year. Born in Lahore, Yousuf scored 7,530 runs in 90 Tests with 24 centuries, 9,720 runs in 288 ODIs with 15 centuries, and a 50 in three T20Is. During his cricket career, influenced by the speeches of Saeed Anwar, Yusuf converted to Islam and changed his name to Mohammad Yousuf.

These cricketers adopted another religion.

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Tillakaratne Dilshan was born into a Muslim family.
Sri Lanka's explosive opener and the creator of the 'Dilscoop' shot, Tillakaratne Dilshan was born into a Muslim family and his initial name was Tawan Mohammed Dilshan. His father was Muslim and his mother was Buddhist. After his parents separated, Dilshan adopted his mother's religion (Buddhism) and changed his name to Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan. Dilshan subsequently took Sri Lankan cricket to new heights. An aggressive batsman, Dilshan also proved useful with his off-break bowling. In his 17-year international career, Dilshan played 87 Tests, 330 ODIs, and 80 T20 Internationals, scoring 5,492 runs and 39 wickets in Tests, 10,290 runs and 106 wickets in ODIs, and 1,889 runs and 9 wickets in T20 Internationals.

Buttler changed his name two years ago.
England's World Cup-winning captain and aggressive batsman was known to the world as 'Jos Buttler'. But in 2014, he officially changed his name to Josh Buttler. In fact, people called him 'Josh' throughout his life, even his mother and official documents often used this name. To end this confusion, he shared a funny video on social media and announced adding an 'h' to his name.

Suraj Randiv, born into a Muslim family, also
gained prominence after a controversial no-ball against explosive Indian opener Virender Sehwag. He also changed his name. Born into a Muslim family, he was named Mohammed Marshuk Mohammed Suraj. Later in his career, he changed his name to Suraj Randiv. Randiv also represented Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final, though he later retired from cricket and settled in Australia. During the 2010 ODI tri-series, India and Sehwag needed just one run to win. Randiv bowled a no-ball, which led to India's victory and denied Sehwag a century. Randiv took 43 wickets in 12 Tests, 36 in three ODIs, and seven in seven T20 Internationals.

Asghar Stanikzai to Asghar Afghan
Asghar Stanikzai, one of Afghanistan cricket's most successful captains, decided to change his surname in 2018. He changed his name to Asghar Afghan to honor his national identity. He stated that he wanted to remain associated with his country (Afghanistan). Under his leadership, Afghanistan played its first Test match and established its dominance at the international level. Between 2009 and 2021, Asghar Afghan played six Tests, 114 ODIs, and 75 T20 Internationals.

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