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Hair apparent

Celebrating the mane men of cricket

Deepti Unni  |  

The man, the mullet, de Grandhomme

The man, the mullet, de Grandhomme © Getty Images

News broke this week about the retirement of a legend, some would say before it had even achieved full potential in a brief but dazzling run in the limelight. We are speaking, of course, of Colin de Grandhomme's magnificent mullet that has now been consigned to a barber's bin somewhere. When de Grandhomme decided to bring sexy back, and front, is not known but fans were first treated to his luxurious locks during New Zealand's tour of England earlier this year. It wasn't long before it was being called "arguably the greatest mullet in cricket", rivalling even those of Ian Botham and Jason Gillespie in their pomp. Alas, the mullet is no more but it has found a place for posterity in the rogue's gallery of cricket's most memorable hairstyles.

Remember when Kevin Pietersen went from punk...

KP sported a blue faux-hawk for the fourth Ashes Test in 2005

KP sported a blue faux-hawk for the fourth Ashes Test in 2005 Tom Shaw / © Getty Images

...to skunk during the 2005 Ashes?

Bleacher report: a hair-don't to remember a legendary series by

Bleacher report: a hair-don't to remember a legendary series by © Getty Images

Pietersen has gone on record to say he's not the biggest fan of the hairstyle in hindsight.

Jimmy Anderson's been through the hair gamut too, sporting, at various times, frosted tips, a shaven pate, and more recently, a platinum-blond wash, but he actually had the tinted faux-hawk before Pietersen.

A racing stripe does not a speedster make, Michael Schumacher seems to say

A racing stripe does not a speedster make, Michael Schumacher seems to say Clive Mason / © Getty Images

MS Dhoni was the original trendsetter in Indian cricket, his chemically straightened hair circa 2005-06 uniting fans across borders.

The real reason Dhoni decided to get rid of his straight perm

The real reason Dhoni decided to get rid of his straight perm © Getty Images

Lasith Malinga without his trademark do is quite the shock to the system.

Would you recognise Malinga without his frosted curls?

Would you recognise Malinga without his frosted curls? © Getty Images

Ishant Sharma briefly channelled early-'60s George Harrison, but wasn't able to break into the Fab Four.

Ishant Sharma tries to make the mop-top trend

Ishant Sharma tries to make the mop-top trend Dibyangshu Sarkar / © AFP/Getty Images

Colin "Funky" Miller lit up the 2001 Ashes with his DIY hair colour - a different shade every match - cycling through red, candyfloss pink, blue, green and canary yellow during the series. Earlier that year he had flummoxed Courtney Walsh at the SCG with a blue noggin, which led Michael Holding on commentary to remark, "This, I am reliably informed, is the first wicket taken by a bowler in Test cricket with blue hair."

A good day to dye: Miller prepares to bamboozle the opposition during the 2001 Ashes

A good day to dye: Miller prepares to bamboozle the opposition during the 2001 Ashes © Getty Images

More recently, Beuran Hendricks took inspiration from a dish sponge for the inaugural Mzansi Super League final in 2018.

He'll give you a clean sweep and a scrub down

He'll give you a clean sweep and a scrub down © MSL

Deepti Unni is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

 

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