Cricketers and actors are the two most celebrated and scrutinised sets of people in <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/">India</a>, who are continually in the spotlight of media and fans. Consequently, every little piece of information about their personal lives that the public becomes aware of makes headlines for days and days together.

It becomes even bigger news in the country when Bollywood stars and cricketers cross paths in the public eyes. From the time of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi to Mohammad Azharuddin to Virat Kohli, we have seen a long-standing association of cricketers with actresses.

However, whenever there is any hint of dispute or conflict between the two sets of celebs, the attention, limelight and scrutiny that is on them, blow out of proportion. Multiple theories and speculations surface about these people, and that rapidly becomes a hot topic across the nation.

Here are five instances when Bollywood actresses were involved in a controversy with cricketers:

<img class="size-full wp-image-683051" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Raai-Laxmi-and-MS-Dhoni.jpg" alt="Raai Laxmi and MS Dhoni" width="640" loading="lazy"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-683051" class="wp-caption-text">Raai Laxmi and MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Former Indian captain and one of the icons of Indian cricket, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/ms-dhoni" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Dhoni</a>, was always under the scrutiny of media and made headlines throughout his cricketing career. He was rumoured to be dating actress and model Raai Laxmi, who predominantly works with the south Indian film industries, around 2008-09.

Laxmi and Dhoni were often spotted together during the time and that further accelerated the reports of them being in a relationship. They also attended after parties during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and were also spotted attending her birthday party along with his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate Suresh Raina, according to News 18 reports.

In 2014, the actress opened up about her breakup. She said, “I’ve begun to believe that my relationship with Dhoni is like a stain or a scar which won’t go away for a long time.” She also expressed her surprise that even after years of their breakup, people continue to talk about it.

<img class="size-full wp-image-448930" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Gavaskar-Anushka-Sharma-and-Virat-Kohli.jpg" alt="Sunil Gavaskar, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli" width="640" loading="lazy"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-448930" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Gavaskar, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Getty Images and Twitter)</figcaption>

During a game between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab (now called Punjab Kings) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, the then RCB captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/virat-kohli" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a> put up a forgettable performance with the bat, managing to score only 1 runs off five balls.

It was an IPL season that was stop-started due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the players were back in action after a lengthy lockdown period. Sunil Gavaskar, who was in the commentary said that Kohli only practised to Anushka’s bowling during the recent lockdown. He added, “I saw a video. But that is not going to be enough.” Anushka took it to Instagram to condemn the former cricketer’s remarks.

Anushka wrote, “That, Mr Gavaskar, your message is distasteful is a fact but I would love for you to explain why you thought of making such a sweeping statement on a wife accusing her for her husband’s game?” Gavaskar also faced backlash from fans for making sexist and unprofessional comments.

<img class="size-full wp-image-679898" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Neena-Gupta-and-Vivian-Richards.jpg" alt="Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards" width="640" loading="lazy"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-679898" class="wp-caption-text">Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Legendary former West Indies cricketer Viv Richards and veteran actress Neena Gupta were in a relationship for a brief period in the 1980s when the former was already married. They also together have a daughter named Masaba Gupta, who was born in 1989.

It is said that Neena, upon realising that she was pregnant with Masaba, wanted to raise her as a single mother, since marrying Richards was off the cards. Neena was raised by an orthodox family, and it was unheard of during those days to have a child out of wedlock.

In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Neena once said, if there was one thing she would change from her past, it would be to not have a child outside marriage since every child needs both parents. “ I was always honest with Masaba, so it did not affect our relationship, but I know she suffered.”

4. Sangeeta Bijlani-Mohammad Azharuddin

<img class="size-full wp-image-307930" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Mohammad-Azharuddin-and-Sangeeta-Bijlani.jpg" alt="Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani" width="640" loading="lazy"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-307930" class="wp-caption-text">Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, time and again, was involved in controversies, due to the match-fixing scandal that broke out in 2000. However, before the emergence of the scandal, he caught the attention when he divorced his first wife Naureen and married actress Sangeeta Bijlani in 1996.

Azharuddin’s second marriage also ended in 2010, reportedly, due to his affair with badminton player Jwala Gutta. Sangeeta later said in an interview that she would get horrified reading reports about the affair. Speaking about marriage and relationships, she said in an interview that a woman could be everything wonderful and the man may still stray.

“I do feel that people can create a pattern in marriage that is not enhancing, and the man instead of dealing with the dissatisfaction and complex within himself and trying to work on the relationship, escape it and goes someplace else to feel better about himself,” Sangeeta was quoted as saying by DNA India.

<img class="size-full wp-image-682450" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rishabh-Pant-and-Urvashi-Rautela.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant and Urvashi Rautela" width="640" loading="lazy"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-682450" class="wp-caption-text">Rishabh Pant and Urvashi Rautela. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The recent episode between the India wicketkeeper-batter <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> and Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela has taken several twists along the way, and it seems that it has reached its end of the course. It all began when Rautela said in an interview that a certain “Mr. RP” waited for her in the lobby for a long time after she came back from a long day’s work.

Rautela was allegedly referring to Pant, and she further narrated, in her interview with Bollywood Hungama, that she had received 16-17 missed calls from him. Pant, shortly afterwards, put up an Instagram story, which read, “It’s funny how people lie in interviews just for some meagre popularity and for hitting the headlines.”

Rautela hit back with a post, calling him “Chotu bhaiyya (little brother)” and asking him to stick to playing “bat ball”. Pant, later, put up yet another story that read, “Don’t stress over what you cannot control.” Pant will be next in action for the all-important 2022 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Cricketers and actors are the two most celebrated and scrutinised sets of people in <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/">India</a>, who are continually in the spotlight of media and fans. Consequently, every little piece of information about their personal lives that the public becomes aware of makes headlines for days and days together.
It becomes even bigger news in the country when Bollywood stars and cricketers cross paths in the public eyes. From the time of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi to Mohammad Azharuddin to Virat Kohli, we have seen a long-standing association of cricketers with actresses.
However, whenever there is any hint of dispute or conflict between the two sets of celebs, the attention, limelight and scrutiny that is on them, blow out of proportion. Multiple theories and speculations surface about these people, and that rapidly becomes a hot topic across the nation.
<h3>Here are five instances when Bollywood actresses were involved in a controversy with cricketers:</h3>
<h3>1. Raai Laxmi-MS Dhoni&nbsp;</h3>
<figure id="attachment_683051" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-683051" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-683051" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Raai-Laxmi-and-MS-Dhoni.jpg" alt="Raai Laxmi and MS Dhoni" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-683051" class="wp-caption-text">Raai Laxmi and MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
Former Indian captain and one of the icons of Indian cricket, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/ms-dhoni" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Dhoni</a>, was always under the scrutiny of media and made headlines throughout his cricketing career. He was rumoured to be dating actress and model Raai Laxmi, who predominantly works with the south Indian film industries, around 2008-09.
Laxmi and Dhoni were often spotted together during the time and that further accelerated the reports of them being in a relationship. They also attended after parties during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and were also spotted attending her birthday party along with his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate Suresh Raina, according to News 18 reports.
In 2014, the actress opened up about her breakup. She said, “I’ve begun to believe that my relationship with Dhoni is like a stain or a scar which won’t go away for a long time.” She also expressed her surprise that even after years of their breakup, people continue to talk about it.
<h3>2. Anushka Sharma-Sunil Gavaskar</h3>
<figure id="attachment_448930" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-448930" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-448930" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Gavaskar-Anushka-Sharma-and-Virat-Kohli.jpg" alt="Sunil Gavaskar, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-448930" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Gavaskar, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Getty Images and Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
During a game between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab (now called Punjab Kings) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, the then RCB captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/virat-kohli" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a> put up a forgettable performance with the bat, managing to score only 1 runs off five balls.
It was an IPL season that was stop-started due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the players were back in action after a lengthy lockdown period. Sunil Gavaskar, who was in the commentary said that Kohli only practised to Anushka’s bowling during the recent lockdown. He added, “I saw a video. But that is not going to be enough.” Anushka took it to Instagram to condemn the former cricketer’s remarks.
Anushka wrote, “That, Mr Gavaskar, your message is distasteful is a fact but I would love for you to explain why you thought of making such a sweeping statement on a wife accusing her for her husband’s game?” Gavaskar also faced backlash from fans for making sexist and unprofessional comments.
<h3>3. Neena Gupta-Viv Richards&nbsp;</h3>
<figure id="attachment_679898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-679898" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-679898" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Neena-Gupta-and-Vivian-Richards.jpg" alt="Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-679898" class="wp-caption-text">Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
Legendary former West Indies cricketer Viv Richards and veteran actress Neena Gupta were in a relationship for a brief period in the 1980s when the former was already married. They also together have a daughter named Masaba Gupta, who was born in 1989.
It is said that Neena, upon realising that she was pregnant with Masaba, wanted to raise her as a single mother, since marrying Richards was off the cards. Neena was raised by an orthodox family, and it was unheard of during those days to have a child out of wedlock.
In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Neena once said, if there was one thing she would change from her past, it would be to not have a child outside marriage since every child needs both parents. “ I was always honest with Masaba, so it did not affect our relationship, but I know she suffered.”
<h3>4. Sangeeta Bijlani-Mohammad Azharuddin</h3>
<figure id="attachment_307930" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-307930" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-307930" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Mohammad-Azharuddin-and-Sangeeta-Bijlani.jpg" alt="Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-307930" class="wp-caption-text">Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, time and again, was involved in controversies, due to the match-fixing scandal that broke out in 2000. However, before the emergence of the scandal, he caught the attention when he divorced his first wife Naureen and married actress Sangeeta Bijlani in 1996.
Azharuddin’s second marriage also ended in 2010, reportedly, due to his affair with badminton player Jwala Gutta. Sangeeta later said in an interview that she would get horrified reading reports about the affair. Speaking about marriage and relationships, she said in an interview that a woman could be everything wonderful and the man may still stray.
“I do feel that people can create a pattern in marriage that is not enhancing, and the man instead of dealing with the dissatisfaction and complex within himself and trying to work on the relationship, escape it and goes someplace else to feel better about himself,” Sangeeta was quoted as saying by DNA India.
<h3>5. Urvashi Rautela-Rishabh Pant</h3>
<figure id="attachment_682450" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-682450" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-682450" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rishabh-Pant-and-Urvashi-Rautela.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant and Urvashi Rautela" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-682450" class="wp-caption-text">Rishabh Pant and Urvashi Rautela. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
The recent episode between the India wicketkeeper-batter <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> and Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela has taken several twists along the way, and it seems that it has reached its end of the course. It all began when Rautela said in an interview that a certain “Mr. RP” waited for her in the lobby for a long time after she came back from a long day’s work.
Rautela was allegedly referring to Pant, and she further narrated, in her interview with Bollywood Hungama, that she had received 16-17 missed calls from him. Pant, shortly afterwards, put up an Instagram story, which read, “It’s funny how people lie in interviews just for some meagre popularity and for hitting the headlines.”
Rautela hit back with a post, calling him “Chotu bhaiyya (little brother)” and asking him to stick to playing “bat ball”. Pant, later, put up yet another story that read, “Don’t stress over what you cannot control.” Pant will be next in action for the all-important 2022 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Cricketers and actors are the two most celebrated and scrutinised sets of people in <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/">India</a>, who are continually in the spotlight of media and fans. Consequently, every little piece of information about their personal lives that the public becomes aware of makes headlines for days and days together.
It becomes even bigger news in the country when Bollywood stars and cricketers cross paths in the public eyes. From the time of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi to Mohammad Azharuddin to Virat Kohli, we have seen a long-standing association of cricketers with actresses.
However, whenever there is any hint of dispute or conflict between the two sets of celebs, the attention, limelight and scrutiny that is on them, blow out of proportion. Multiple theories and speculations surface about these people, and that rapidly becomes a hot topic across the nation.
<h3>Here are five instances when Bollywood actresses were involved in a controversy with cricketers:</h3>
<h3>1. Raai Laxmi-MS Dhoni&nbsp;</h3>
<figure id="attachment_683051" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-683051" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-683051" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Raai-Laxmi-and-MS-Dhoni.jpg" alt="Raai Laxmi and MS Dhoni" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-683051" class="wp-caption-text">Raai Laxmi and MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
Former Indian captain and one of the icons of Indian cricket, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/ms-dhoni" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Dhoni</a>, was always under the scrutiny of media and made headlines throughout his cricketing career. He was rumoured to be dating actress and model Raai Laxmi, who predominantly works with the south Indian film industries, around 2008-09.
Laxmi and Dhoni were often spotted together during the time and that further accelerated the reports of them being in a relationship. They also attended after parties during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and were also spotted attending her birthday party along with his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate Suresh Raina, according to News 18 reports.
In 2014, the actress opened up about her breakup. She said, “I’ve begun to believe that my relationship with Dhoni is like a stain or a scar which won’t go away for a long time.” She also expressed her surprise that even after years of their breakup, people continue to talk about it.
<h3>2. Anushka Sharma-Sunil Gavaskar</h3>
<figure id="attachment_448930" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-448930" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-448930" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Gavaskar-Anushka-Sharma-and-Virat-Kohli.jpg" alt="Sunil Gavaskar, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-448930" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Gavaskar, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Getty Images and Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
During a game between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab (now called Punjab Kings) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, the then RCB captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/virat-kohli" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a> put up a forgettable performance with the bat, managing to score only 1 runs off five balls.
It was an IPL season that was stop-started due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the players were back in action after a lengthy lockdown period. Sunil Gavaskar, who was in the commentary said that Kohli only practised to Anushka’s bowling during the recent lockdown. He added, “I saw a video. But that is not going to be enough.” Anushka took it to Instagram to condemn the former cricketer’s remarks.
Anushka wrote, “That, Mr Gavaskar, your message is distasteful is a fact but I would love for you to explain why you thought of making such a sweeping statement on a wife accusing her for her husband’s game?” Gavaskar also faced backlash from fans for making sexist and unprofessional comments.
<h3>3. Neena Gupta-Viv Richards&nbsp;</h3>
<figure id="attachment_679898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-679898" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-679898" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Neena-Gupta-and-Vivian-Richards.jpg" alt="Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-679898" class="wp-caption-text">Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
Legendary former West Indies cricketer Viv Richards and veteran actress Neena Gupta were in a relationship for a brief period in the 1980s when the former was already married. They also together have a daughter named Masaba Gupta, who was born in 1989.
It is said that Neena, upon realising that she was pregnant with Masaba, wanted to raise her as a single mother, since marrying Richards was off the cards. Neena was raised by an orthodox family, and it was unheard of during those days to have a child out of wedlock.
In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Neena once said, if there was one thing she would change from her past, it would be to not have a child outside marriage since every child needs both parents. “ I was always honest with Masaba, so it did not affect our relationship, but I know she suffered.”
<h3>4. Sangeeta Bijlani-Mohammad Azharuddin</h3>
<figure id="attachment_307930" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-307930" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-307930" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Mohammad-Azharuddin-and-Sangeeta-Bijlani.jpg" alt="Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-307930" class="wp-caption-text">Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, time and again, was involved in controversies, due to the match-fixing scandal that broke out in 2000. However, before the emergence of the scandal, he caught the attention when he divorced his first wife Naureen and married actress Sangeeta Bijlani in 1996.
Azharuddin’s second marriage also ended in 2010, reportedly, due to his affair with badminton player Jwala Gutta. Sangeeta later said in an interview that she would get horrified reading reports about the affair. Speaking about marriage and relationships, she said in an interview that a woman could be everything wonderful and the man may still stray.
“I do feel that people can create a pattern in marriage that is not enhancing, and the man instead of dealing with the dissatisfaction and complex within himself and trying to work on the relationship, escape it and goes someplace else to feel better about himself,” Sangeeta was quoted as saying by DNA India.
<h3>5. Urvashi Rautela-Rishabh Pant</h3>
<figure id="attachment_682450" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-682450" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-682450" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rishabh-Pant-and-Urvashi-Rautela.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant and Urvashi Rautela" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-682450" class="wp-caption-text">Rishabh Pant and Urvashi Rautela. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>
</figure>
The recent episode between the India wicketkeeper-batter <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> and Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela has taken several twists along the way, and it seems that it has reached its end of the course. It all began when Rautela said in an interview that a certain “Mr. RP” waited for her in the lobby for a long time after she came back from a long day’s work.
Rautela was allegedly referring to Pant, and she further narrated, in her interview with Bollywood Hungama, that she had received 16-17 missed calls from him. Pant, shortly afterwards, put up an Instagram story, which read, “It’s funny how people lie in interviews just for some meagre popularity and for hitting the headlines.”
Rautela hit back with a post, calling him “Chotu bhaiyya (little brother)” and asking him to stick to playing “bat ball”. Pant, later, put up yet another story that read, “Don’t stress over what you cannot control.” Pant will be next in action for the all-important 2022 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Cricketers and actors are the two most celebrated and scrutinised sets of people in India, who are continually in the spotlight of media and fans. Consequently, every little piece of information about

Bollywood- Cricketer Controversies

From Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi to Virat Kohli, we have seen a long-standing association of cricketers with actresses.

5 Bollywood actresses who were involved in controversy with cricketers

Bollywood- Cricketer Controversies: Check out the list of five controversial encounters between Bollywood actresses and cricketers.