Jonty Rhodes at the inauguration of the Asian Surfing Championship in Mamallapuram on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
Former South Africa cricketer and brand ambassador for the Surfing Federation of India (SFI), Jonty Rhodes, expressed his happiness in India’s growing surfing culture and singled out rising star Kamali Moorthy for special praise. He was speaking during a media interaction at the opening ceremony of the fourth Asian Surfing Championships in Mamallapuram on Sunday.
“I’ve been associated with the SFI since 2013”, said Rhodes. “My role has been to promote surfing not just as a sport, but as a lifestyle, and what’s been most heartening is the transformation within these communities.”
Rhodes reserved special praise for 15-year-old Kamali. “Kamali is someone I’ve been watching for years. I first saw her when she was just four. Every time I visited Mahabs, there she was — working relentlessly. Now, to see her take the athlete’s oath and represent India on the international stage is just incredible. She hasn’t just been handed opportunities — she’s earned them,” Rhodes said.
The fielding great also shared his joy over the Proteas breaking the jinx of not winning a global title by clinching the ICC Test Championship in June.
“It was incredibly emotional. After years of coming close and never crossing the line, to beat Australia in a final was huge. Critics questioned who South Africa had played, but we don’t get to play as much Test cricket any more — mainly due to financial and commercial priorities.
“Winning an ICC trophy under those constraints is a testament to the resilience of the team. As someone who went over a decade without silverware during my career, I’m delighted,” said Rhodes.
He also felt resting Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final Test against England at The Oval was the right move.
“Two things about Bumrah stood out early in his career. First, his eagerness to learn — even when he wasn’t in the playing XI during his first IPL season. Second is his unique bowling action. He’s not conventional, and that gives him a critical edge. That delivery style of his makes life difficult for the batters. Given his workload and importance to Indian cricket, resting him was the right move,” added Rhodes.
Published – August 03, 2025 09:14 pm IST