Height is one of the biggest factors for athletes in whichever sport they play. Édouard Beaupré is possibly the tallest sportsperson in the world, with a height of 8 feet 3 inches. Even in India, several athletes are tall and have represented the country at the highest level.
7. Ayush Shetty (6 feet 4 inches) -
The latest sensation of Indian badminton Ayush Shetty is already among the tallest Indian athletes in history. He is 6 feet and 4 inches tall and is using his height to the fullest. Recently, he won the US Open Super 300 beating Brian Yang in the final. More than the final, his win over world no.6 Chou Tien-chen in the semis was the most talked about. Ayush Shetty is currently ranked 31st in the world and is being touted as the next big thing in badminton for India.
2/7Image Source : Getty
6. Rupinder Pal Singh (6 feet 4 inches) -
Rupinder Pal Singh is still the tallest ever Indian hockey player. He was one of the best players to don the Indian jersey. Rupinder played a staggering 223 matches for India at the international level and scored 119 goals. He was part of the team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and also played a crucial role in several Asian Games and Commonwealth Games for India.
3/7Image Source : Getty
5. Pankaj Singh (6 feet 6 inches) -
A tall right-arm medium-fast bowler from Rajasthan, Pankaj Singh burst onto the scene for his height and pace. But he couldn't make it big at the highest level, playing for India. He donned the India jersey in only two Tests and one ODI, accounting for only two wickets in the longest format. However, at the domestic level, he was no less than legendary figure, picking up 472 wickets in 117 first-class matches. Pankaj Singh also played for Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, picking up 11 wickets in 17 IPL matches.
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4/7Image Source : X
4. Abey Kuruvilla (6 feet 6 inches) -
Abey Kuruvilla is arguably the tallest cricketer ever to play for India. He played 10 Tests and 25 ODIs for country, picking up 25 wickets each in the two formats. The fast bowler made his debut in March 1997 and last played for India in the same year in December. Overall in his career, he played 82 first-class and 63 List A matches, accounting for 290 and 70 wickets respectively. After retiring from the sport, Abey also served in various selection panels, heading the all-India junior selection committee in 2011-12. Later, he also worked as Mumbai's chief selector.
5/7Image Source : Instagram/Poonam Chaturvedi
3. Poonam Chaturvedi (7 feet) -
Poonam Chaturvedi is the tallest woman in the Indian basketball arena. In fact, before the emergence Aryan, Poonam was the tallest ever Indian basketball player. She made her mark playing in the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup (Division B) and also lifted India to promotion with a stunning 32-point, 17-rebound performance against Hong Kong. After battling brain tumour for close to five years, Poonam triumphed to score 44 points in the national semifinals. She was a regular feature at Senior National Championships, playing for Chhattisgarh and then Indian Railways.
6/7Image Source : Instagram/Aryan Sharma
2. Aryan Sharma (7 feet 2 inches) -
Aryan Sharma is also among the tallest athletes to play for India. It is no surprise that he is also a basketball player and plays at the centre position for India's senior national basketball team. He donned the national jersey at the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 and also played the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers. He is only 22 years old right now and is already regarded as a key part of India's basketball future. Aryan also aspires to play European leagues and in NBA.
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7/7Image Source : Instagram/Satnam Singh
1. Satnam Singh Bhamara (7 feet 2 inches) -
Satnam Singh Bhamara is the tallest Indian athlete ever to represent the country. He is a professional wrestler and former basketball player. In 2015, Satnam became the Indian-born player to be ever drafted into the NBA when the Dallas Mavericks picked him in the team. In 2018, he also became the first Indian to appear in Canadian Pro Basketball. Satnam represented India in major tournaments like the FIBA Asian Championships, Commonwealth Games 2018 and FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in 2019.
