WATCH: Hollywood icon Russell Crowe leaves Joe Rogan speechless with his in-depth knowledge of ‘cricket’

The Joe Rogan Experience recently hosted Hollywood icon Russell Crowe, leading to a viral discussion where the New Zealand-born actor took on the challenge of explaining the intricacies of cricket to the American audience.

Crowe’s passionate breakdown of the game’s different forms, particularly the five-day Test match, left Rogan visibly astonished. Crowe not only detailed the rules but also revealed his deep family ties to the sport, proudly naming his famous cousins who shaped his formative years. This segment became a fascinating cultural exchange, highlighting the profound differences between American and Commonwealth sporting cultures.

Hollywood veteran Russell Crowe explains the three forms of cricket and rules to American podcast icon Joe Rogan

Crowe began his explanation by differentiating cricket’s three major formats, starting with the shortest and most accessible version, T20, before moving into the ODI format:

“See, there’s different forms of the game. You have T20, then you have one day… T20 means that each team gets to bowl 20 overs. An over is six balls. So you have 20 six-ball overs that you’re bowling to the batting team and they’ve got to try and get as many runs as they can and then you will have a go at batting. So you have that version of the game which is very short, it can happen in an evening. Then you have a one day game which maybe starts in the afternoon, finishes by 8 or 9 at night.” Crowe said.

Crowe also addressed one of Rogan’s basic questions about scoring, confirming the cricket equivalent of a baseball ‘home run’:

Rogan asked: “Do you guys have home runs in cricket? Like where someone really cracks the ball?” Crowe replied: “It’s called a six. Out of the park, it’s called a six. If you hit the ball over the fence without it bouncing, you get six runs.”

Here’s the video:

I never thought that i would see Russell crowe Explaining Cricket to Joe rogan on JRE.

FYI- Russell's brother is martin crowe (NZ great)

— Arun_chayachitra (@Arunsingh2207)

Russell Crowe reveals the mind-bending concept of five-day Test cricket to Joe Rogan

The biggest shock for Rogan came when Crowe explained the duration of the traditional form of the game, Test cricket, which is played over five days. Rogan was clearly struggling to process the patience required for a result:

“But then you have the Test match and this is what I grew up with… But the test match is between two countries and it’s played over five days. And the idea is that both teams have to bat and bowl twice and the result will be whatever it is at the end of five days. Five days, man. Five full days.” Crowe explained.

The concept of a five-day match was entirely ‘foreign’ to Rogan. Crowe went on to explain that the length creates an emotional ebb and flow that defines the format, calling it the ‘gentleman’s war’:

“But that five day game, the way that it ebbs and flows, once you’re into it, it’s the only way you want to watch cricket because at one moment your team can be just so far ahead… and then it’ll turn on a dime. And day two, things get really dark for your team. Day three, you got an edge back again. Day four, it’s fantastic, man.” the Hollywood superstar stated. 

Rogan was left speechless, ultimately concluding, “Wow, that’s crazy. There’s nothing like that here.”

Here’s the video:

Russell Crowe teaching Joe Rogan about cricket is the best thing on the internet at the moment:

— Marlbro Me (@Marlbrome)

Also READ: England Test skipper Ben Stokes reveals his surprising Hollywood connection

The family dynasty: New Zealand cricket captains Martin and Jeff Crowe

Crowe further demonstrated his deep heritage in the sport by proudly revealing his family’s legendary connection to New Zealand cricket in form of Martin Crowe and Jeff Crowe, explaining that the game was a major potential pathway for him before he chose acting:

“My cousin Martin was a great cricket player. He was the captain of New Zealand. My other cousin Jeffrey was also a captain of New Zealand. So I kind of grew up in a cricketing family and it was one of the pathways for me. There was potentially play cricket. But when you’ve got two of your cousins who are as good as they were, it’s a very crowded room.” Crowe concluded.

Here’s the video:

Legendary NZ cricketer Martin Crowe and Hollywood actor Russel Crowe are cousins

— 𝖆𝖓𝖚𝖕 (@anupr3)

This connection, which links the star of Gladiator to the highest levels of international cricket, was clearly a source of pride. He referred to Martin, who was the first Player of the Tournament in a World Cup, as a highly ‘dominant player’ in his day, solidifying the idea that his family roots are intrinsically tied to the world of the gentleman’s war.

Also READ: Hollywood star Huge Jackman reveals his favourite Indian cricketer