5 times Rohit Sharma was spotted watching a non-cricket sporting event ft. 2024 NBA preseason
The key figure of Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma, has had a successful year so far on the international circuit. Under his leadership, the Indian team secured a title victory in 2024 T20 World Cup and have maintained the top spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings as well.
'Hitman' ended his T20I career as the batter with the most runs (4,231) in the shortest format. Now, he remains a pivotal force for India in the ODI and Test formats. Apart from his cricketing brilliance, the Indian captain has drawn an interest from fans for his admiration for other sports as well.
In recent years, Rohit has been spotted at many sporting events other than cricket. Sensing his interest in football, LA Liga appointed Rohit Sharma as its Indian brand ambassador in 2019 to grow the game in India. With the help of digital activities and physical events, Rohit brought the league closer to a new audience, who were not too familiar with football.
On that note, let's take a look at five instances where Rohit Sharma was spotted enjoying other sports as a fan.
#1 2016/17 UEFA Champions League
In February 2017, Rohit Sharma traveled to Munich to witness the UEFA Champions League match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal in Allianz Arena stadium. He watched the game unfold with his wife Ritika Sajdeh and teammate KL Rahul.
The match saw the home team dominate Arsenal to secure a 5-1 victory. Rohit also posted a video clip of the game and a photo of him holding the entry tickets.
#2 2018 FIFA World Cup
Rohit Sharma made good use of his free time after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League 2018. He went to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup, held in Russia.
The 37-year-old supported his favorite team, Spain, in their crucial encounter against Portugal from the stands. The game ended in a 3-3 draw, with Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo registering a hat-trick.
Rohit's picture outside the stadium went viral, as he held the Indian flag with pride. Moreover, he also shared a photo with popular football manager José Mourinho.
#3 2019/20 La Liga
Rohit Sharma visited Madrid to watch a La Liga game in 2020. The moment was special, as he watched his first game as the first non-footballer brand ambassador of the league.
Rohit visited Santiago Bernabeu to witness the El Clasico match between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The game saw his favorite, Read Madrid, secure a comfortable 2-0 victory.
After Real Madrid won the La Liga title in the same season, Rohit posted a tweet to congratulate the team for their success.
#4 2024 Wimbledon
Rohit Sharma garnered attention with his elegant attire during his appearance at the Wimbledon 2024 semifinals.
He posed for a photo with a black suit and sunglasses ahead of the game between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev. The contest saw Alcaraz secure a victory and eventually win the title as well.
Interestingly, Rohit's visit came days after he led the Indian team to a title victory in the T20 World Cup. Along with him, former Indian keeper Dinesh Karthik was also in attendance to watch the tennis action unfold at the centre court.
#5 2024 NBA preseason
On October 4, 2024, Rohit Sharma and his wife Ritika Sajdeh attended the NBA Abu Dhabi Games at Etihad Arena. The NBA preseason game saw the Boston Celtics secure a 107-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
During his visit, Rohit met legendary Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas as well. The Indian captain was also spotted in an ad shoot with a few players of the Indian women's team, who are taking part in the T20 World Cup in Dubai.