The relationship between former Indian captain Virat Kohli and his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, continues to generate many column inches, in celebrity magazines as well as in cricket media.
Back in 2015, three years before their wedding, Kohli had got into trouble with cricket’s Anti-Corruption Unit when he was caught meeting Sharma in a corridor during a rain break during a live match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Delhi Capitals.
However, it was the remarks of former Indian test player Sunil Gavaskar that whipped up a storm during IPL 2020.
Gavaskar was on commentary duty for the match between Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders. With Bangalore turning in a rather poor performance, the on-air discussion turned to how much practice some of the players had managed because of COVID-19, and the subsequent lockdown.
When Kohli was dismissed, Gavaskar flippantly remarked that the only practice that Kohli had enjoyed was against Sharma’s bowling. This was in reference to a viral social media post that had apparently taken by a fan from a neighbouring high-rise building, purportedly showing Kohli and Sharma playing cricket together in their front yard.
There was a storm of protests across social and in mainstream media, calling out Gavaskar for sexist and distasteful remarks. Sharma had her say as well, accusing Gavaskar of a lack of respect for cricketers’ private lives, and that it was wrong to invoke her when discussing her husband’s performance.
Fully on the retreat by now, Gavaskar tried to explain himself away by saying that he was trying to make a more general point about how little practice most players had enjoyed. He cited examples of some other players who had not struck the ball well.
He also denied that he had never intended to be sexist, arguing that he had been one of the leading advocates for cricketers' wives accompanying their husbands on tour.
The prevailing feeling after the exchange, however, was that Gavaskar had been clean bowled by Sharma.