Being Maritzburg Mamba: Jonty Rhodes

The most feared fielder of all time gets candid about his fears and what pushes him to snowboard in Kashmir.

You still are one of the best fielders the game has ever seen. What do you think of the current crop of players?

Read FHM India in the digital libraryEvery issue, every shoot, on TCG Media.

There isAB de Villiers.He is an absolute joy to watch, not just with the bat, but while fielding as well. Another person would be Suresh Raina. I really love watching him in the field. He has got such energy, such commitment. When you are fielding, you are actually playing for the team. If you save 20 runs, it goes on to benefit the team, whereas if you score even 10 runs, it gets added to your tally. I believe he is someone who has got the team’s interest first and foremost.

One thing that we noticed was the manner in which you seem to pull everything off, from a bespoke suit to a simple short and t-shirts. How do you style yourself?

First, to have someone like Rahul Agasti make bespoke suits for me is the key. I am not a very tall guy, plus I have a bit of muscle bulk. I am not giving any excuses, but getting a well fitting suit is difficult. If you have got a slimmer waist and wider shoulders, you don’t have many options off the rack. From the point of sports, the way technology has evolved, sports clothing can be used for fashion as well.

Athleisure wears are a great hit for me and they are practical as well.

Your wife is a very spiritual person. She follows the Vedanta Philosophy, taught yoga for quite some time. What about you, are you spiritual too?

Definitely not as spiritual as her, but I do practice yoga. I take it as an exercise, whereas she takes it more like a form of meditation. I am someone who likes to be in touch with what’s going on around me. I like to live in the moment, therefore I really need to focus and concentrate in everything that I do. She has the ability to meditate and drift off just like that, and yet, she somehow manages to do everything else. This has had a really positive influencein our household and on me.

You are an adrenaline junkie. Snowboarding,helijumping in Kashmir, surfing in Goa, motor boating down south, you seem to have done it all. What other adventure sports would you like to try?

The key there is to know your limits. The reason why I did my first tandem parachute jump was to overcome my fear of heights. I do these things to shock myself. I have a very strong fear of sharks, and so I took up surfing. It’s more about seeing what I can do. I am not someone to take unnecessary risk. But often times, I do get carried away with enthusiasm, rather than my skills, so sometimes, I can get into a little bit of trouble.

You are an avid traveler, you have written several travel stories for Cricket Lifestyle, the magazine, as well as a few blogs. When visiting a new place, do you research about the place, or do you prefer exploring the place from the perspective of the locals?

You will hear athletes often say Carpe Diem or seize the day, whereas my philosophy has been about embracing the day, and it is the same story with travelling. India certainly floods your sense, with both, the good and the bad. If you come here with a preconceived idea, you will either be disappointed or overwhelmed. I know a few South African players who would get a travel guide, and behave like complete tourists. There is nothing wrong with that but personally, I always try to get a local bike, meet up with a gang of local bikers. I have been privileged to see parts of India that many Indian have not. At the same time, I have been coming to the country for more than 25 years now and yet, just visited the TajMahal last year! I did all the touristy stuff with my children, but I myself am not your regular tourist.