The wives and girlfriends of India’s 2024 cricket team
While their partners are celebrities on the cricket field, the glamorous wives and girlfriends of India’s cricket team boast their own star power. Meet India’s cricket WAGS here.
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They may be stars on the cricket field, but India’s top players are also celebrities in their own right away from the pitch, with flashy lifestyles on red carpets and boasting millions of online followers.
While not closely known outside the cricket community in Australia, players such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma — and their glamorous wives — are some of the most talked about figures back in India.
Kohli, 35, proclaimed captain in all formats of the game and a right-handed batsman, is one of the biggest stars heading down under for this summer’s test matches, which begin in Perth on Friday.
With 271 million followers alone on Instagram, Kohli’s fame also extends to his glamorous wife Anushka Sharma, who is a top Bollywood superstar in her own right.
The pair wed in 2017 and have since become parents to two children, Vamika and Akaay.
Ms Sharma has accumulated 68.9 million followers on Instagram and has partnered with brands such as Michael Kors, Puma, Centrum and Pepsi.
Meanwhile, India’s vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah also has a strong social media presence with 18.2 million followers.
He married model and TV presenter Sanjana Ganesan in 2021.
Bumrah will captain India in the first test in Perth in Rohit Sharma’s absence while he celebrates the birth of his second child.
Sharma met beauty Ritika Sajdeh during an advertising shoot.
They wed in 2015, regularly sharing photos of their family life to Sajdeh’s 2.9 million followers.
Indian Australian Multicultural Sports Association president Sanjay Sharma said the Indian diaspora in Australia was pumped to see their beloved stars in the flesh.
“The community is keenly waiting for this game and to experience seeing their favourite stars,” Mr Sharma said.
Mr Sharma said the players are icons in India.
“Their impact will be amazing, Virat is the greatest cricketer in the world and is known for his outstanding batting, Jasprit Bumrah is a well-known fast bowler and known for his Yorker, Rohit is a hit man and pulls shots that are amazing and attack any fast bowls and hook them outside the ground,” Sharma said.
Mr Sharma said the three players wives also had a strong fanbase.
“Anushka, Sanjana and Ritika, their hard work and dedication resonates deeply with Indian culture,” he said.
“All three of these ladies are an influence in cricket, in entertainment and to the world. They represent strong, independent women.”
Here are some of the wives and girlfriends of the Indian cricket team:
CAPTAIN VIRAT KOHLI
The star batsmen is married to popular Bollywood star Anushka Sharma, who’s featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 and again in Forbes Asia in their 30 Under 30 list for 2018, building a hefty following of over 68 million Instagram followers in the process.
VICE-CAPTAIN JASPRIT BUMRAH
Has been married to Sanjana Genesan, a model and TV anchor, since 2021. Genesan has partnered with brands such as Dove, L’Oreal and Huggies, announcing to her 1.5 million follower the birth of their first child in September 2023.
ROHIT SHARMA
Sharma will captain India’s cricket team in this test series, but wife Ritika Sajdeh is successful in her own right as a sports manager and internet personality with over 2.9 million followers on Instagram.
SARFARAZ KHAN
Khan married his girlfriend Romana Zahoor from the Shopian district in Kammu and Kashmir on August 7 in 2023, according to News18.
RISHABH PANT
Pant went public with his girlfriend Isha Negi — a model, entrepreneur and interior décor designer — in 2019, after India’s historic Test series win in Australia.
KL RAHUL
Rahul is married to Indian actress Athiya Shetty, who has played the leading lady in multiple Bollywood films and has over 4.5 million instagram followers. The pair announced earlier this month they are expecting their first child.
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN
Ashwin has been married to internet personality Prithi Narayanan since 13 November 2011. They share two children.
RAVINDRA JADEJA
Jadeja has been married to Indian politician Rivaba Jadeja since 2016. Jadeja is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and was elected in December 2022.
PRASIDH KRISHNA
Right arm fast medium bowler Krishna, 28, married his wife, educator Rachana Krishna, in 2023.
Right arm fast medium bowler Krishna, 28, married his wife, educator Rachana Krishna, in 2023.
YASHASVI JAISWAL
While not confirmed, it has been reported by Zeenews India that Jaiswal is in a rumoured relationship with UK native and student Maddie Hamilton.
Siraj, 30, is one of India’s right arm fast bowlers and is engaged to an unknown woman from his town in Hyderabad, according to Cricfit.
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