5 Indian cricketers who married celebrities ft. Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and more
India's star cricketers and Bollywood actresses getting married have seen a bit of an upward surge over the last few years.
From the Nawab of Pataudi marrying Sharmila Tagore to Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, several couples have strengthened the relationship between the sport and cinema.
While KL Rahul and his rumored girlfriend Athiya Shetty continue to be the cynosure of all eyes in recent times, there have been some wonderful love stories between some of these athletes and their actress partners that serve not only as inspirational tales but also make for glam content on social media.
On that note, we take a look at some of the Indian cricketers who married celebrities over the course of their playing careers.
#1 Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma
Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma tied the knot with former Indian skipper Virat Kohli in December 2017. The couple had first met on the set of a commercial and sparks flew.
After a few years of dating, they got married in a private ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, in the presence of their family members and close friends.
Called 'Virushka' fondly by friends, the two took to social media to announce to fans that they tied the knot. They welcomed a baby girl, Vamika, in 2021.
#2 Geeta Basra and Harbhajan Singh
The 'Turbanator' tied the knot with actress Geeta Basra in 2015 in what was dubbed by the media as a grand ceremony. The couple also welcomed their second child, Jovan, in 2021. They had their first child, Hinaya, in 2016.
Earlier in an interview, Basra confessed that she had been skeptical about getting into a relationship with the ace Indian tweaker.
"Those days were very different. Being linked to someone was a very big thing. I remember a very big actress who got married in those days had to leave a film because the movie's producers were worried that she would soon become pregnant.
"On similar lines, I had got lots of offers after my debut film 'The Train' but they never made a headway," she told a leading newspaper.
#3 Zaheer Khan and Sagarika Ghatge
Sagarika Ghatge was first seen in Shahrukh Khan-starrer 'Chak De! India' and eventually went on to star in 'Fox', 'Rush', and 'Dildariyaan'. The duo married in 2017 at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower in Mumbai.
Not much is known about how they met as the two are very private about their personal lives. As per multiple reports, Zaheer Khan and Ghatge dated for a good nine months before making it official. They got engaged during IPL 2017 and tied the knot later that year.
#4 Yuvraj Singh and Hazel Keech
The hero of the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj Singh married actress Hazel Keech in November 2016. The former Indian all-rounder and his wife had a beautiful beach engagement in Bali and an equally vibrant wedding in Goa.
Singh and Keech welcomed their first child in January 2022. They revealed the name of their son as Orion Keech Singh on Father's Day on social media. As per The Economic Times, the southpaw explained the reason behind his son's name.
"Orion is a star constellation and for parents, your kid is your star. When Hazel was pregnant, and sleeping in the hospital, I was watching some episodes where the name came to me and Hazel took an instant liking to it. I wanted Hazel’s last name also to come in the baby’s name, so that’s how it came about."
#5 Hardik Pandya & Natasa Stankovic
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic were the flavor of IPL 2022 with the latter cheering for her husband's team Gujarat Titans, who won the tournament in their debut year.
The Serbian dancer, model, and actress made her Bollywood debut in 'Satyagraha' and followed it up by participating in a string of reality shows. She and Hardik got engaged in January 2020 and married during the pandemic. They had their child Agastya in July of that year.