Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes will lace up his running shoes to join thousands of participants in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon here on Sunday.

Rhodes, who retired in 2003 after playing 52 Tests and 245 ODIs, will run in the Great Delhi Run category.

The IAAF Gold Label Race, known to be one of the fastest courses in the world, has become a preferred event for world class athletes and India's best.

The $ 2,80,000 prize purse event will witness over 34,000 runners in five different categories —Half Marathon, Open 10K Run, Great Delhi Run, Senior Citizens' Run, and the Champions with Disability.

On his role at the event, Rhodes said he was amazed to see the change in mindset of people towards running and fitness in general.

"To get India moving is so important, especially the kids sitting on a couch playing playstations and tablets everyone has forgotten to move and that's why I am happy to be here as Puma athlete at Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and support the mass participation," Rhodes, a fielder par excellence in his playing days, said.

The 49-year-old also unveiled the Puma Finishers Tee, that will be given to the first thousand finishers of the race, at an event here on Saturday.

"This is the closest I will get to the T-shirt because I am not going to be one of the first thousand finishers," Rhodes said.

The former cricketer will lend his inspiring stories of athleticism to support the race that will show the same energy and vibrancy that Rhodes once exhibited on cricket field.