5 times when Anushka Sharma was dragged into a cricket-related controversy

One of the most popular star couples in the country, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma met on a shoot and their love story eventually blossomed into a marriage. They ultimately tied the knot in 2017 and it was the start of yet another Cricket-Bollywood amalgamation.

Both Anushka and Virat have achieved unprecedented success in their respective fields, and they’re currently amongst the most popular celebrity pairs on the internet. Any picture or clip featuring ‘Virushka’ hogs the limelight in a matter of seconds. But fame often comes at a price.

Since the start of their love story, there have been many times when Anushka’s name has been dragged into a controversy, mainly because of her association with Virat. The Bollywood actress has made several appearances during cricket matches and she has faced many uninvited allegations and internet trolls till date.

Here are five such instances when Anushka Sharma’s name has been pulled in a cricket-related controversy:

1. Sunil Gavaskar’s comment on Anushka during IPL 2020

Virat Kohli had a woeful day at the office when Royal Challengers Bangalore locked horns with Kings XI Punjab in Match 6 of IPL 2020. He dropped two catches on the field and managed to gather only one run with his willow. RCB eventually lost the match and the skipper also failed to live up to the expectations.

Keeping the result aside, it was Sunil Gavaskar’s remark on Anushka which sparked a controversy. The former India opener, from the commentary box said, “Inhone lockdown me to bas Anushka ki bowling ki practice ki hai.”

Dragging a player’s wife while commentating wasn’t a proper move by Gavaskar. The batting legend had referred to Kohli-Anushka’s lockdown video where they were spotted playing cricket. Twitter, however, bashed Gavaskar and even asked the BCCI to remove him from the commentary panel.

Anushka also shared an Instagram story where she labelled Gavaskar’s words as ‘distasteful’. She even asked him to respect the private life of every cricketer while commentating on the game. “When will I stop getting dragged into cricket and stop being used to pass sweeping statements?” wrote Anushka.

2. Anushka Sharma’s tussle with Farokh Engineer

Former India international Farokh Engineer passed a controversial remark during 2019 World Cup. He claimed that he saw Indian national selectors serving tea to Anushka during the marquee event.

The Bollywood actress was present at one of India’s World Cup matches in England and Engineer’s claim did raise eyebrows. Quashing all the rumours, Anushka clarified that she was present in the family box and not the selectors’ box as reported.

“The latest version of these ill-intended lies is that I was being served tea by selectors at matches during the World Cup! I came to one game during the World Cup and sat in the family box and not the selectors box as reported but when has the truth mattered when it’s about convenience!” wrote Anushka through an Instagram post.

After her hard-hitting reply, Engineer offered an apology to Anushka and said that he made those comments in jest adding and they were directed at the Indian selectors and not Anushka.

3. Anushka’s picture with Team India at High Commission in London

Anushka Sharma has been spotted with the national side on several occasions, especially after tying the knot with Virat. Anushka, however, had to face backlash from Indian fans after she was pictured with the Indian side at the High Commission of India in London last year.

Many fans questioned Anushka’s presence in the picture featuring all the Indian players. Hitting back at the trolls, Anushka released a statement and clarified that she was asked to stand in a group photo by the High Commissioner’s wife despite her hesitation.

She even highlighted that her name was used to cook up false stories mentioning that the Indian board was involved in arranging her tickets and security. The actress cleared it out by saying that she had bought her own tickets for matches as well as flights.

4. Anushka trolled for Virat’s poor display

Anushka, on numerous occasions, has been at the receiving end of criticism and trolls after Virat’s poor show on the field. Whenever her husband fails to deliver with the bat or India loses a match, trolls start coming up with memes and posts about Anushka.

In 2016, when Virat and Anushka’s break-up rumours were all over the internet, fans trolled the Bollywood star after India’s spectacular win over Australia. Some fans even said that the break-up between Virat and Anushka was the reason behind India’s victory.

It was Virat who stepped up and silenced the trollers by sharing a strong message on Twitter. He mentioned that Anushka has only given him positivity and asked people to have some compassion and respect her. “Shame on those people who have been having a go at Anushka for the longest time and connecting every negative thing to her,” wrote Virat.

5. Anushka’s presence at the DDCA ceremony

In September last year, a stand at Arun Jaitley Cricket stadium in Feroz Shah Kotla was named after Virat Kohli. The current India skipper was honoured for his outstanding achievement in the sport.

It was a big day for him and Anushka also accompanied him for the ceremony. Anushka, however, was unnecessarily trolled by many people for her presence at the event. She had been a victim of such trolls in the past too and the trend failed to take a halt.

People were surprised to see Anushka sitting beside Virat and they started mocking her for always being there with the cricketer. Anushka, in 2018, was also trolled for accompanying the Indian side during their England tour in August-September.