Anushka Sharma will not be seen cheering Kohli in Australia during the World Cup.
© AFP
When Virat Kohli scores a hundred at the World Cup, he will not be able to look at the stands a blow a kiss to his movie star girlfriend Anushka Sharma. The Indian batting ace's public display of affection had become a common sight during the four-Test series vs Australia. But according to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to make a formal announcement soon, banning wives and girlfriends (WAGS) from cricket's showpiece event which starts in Australia and New Zealand on Valentine's Day.
BCCI had taken a more lenient approach after India lost the Adelaide and Brisbane Tests. Consequently, the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni were soon able to host their spouses through Christmas and New Year's. However, tasked with defending the world title won in home conditions in 2011, the players will be asked to make major sacrifices.
The Indian board would generally allow partners to accompany players on long and high pressure international tours but administrators have put their foot down for something as big as the World Cup. "This rule of not allowing wives and girlfriends was always there in the past. In a big tournament like the World Cup, the cricketers should stay away from distractions," a top BCCI official was quoted by the Times of India.
Ayesha, Shikhar Dhawan's wife, stays in Australia. Will she come to the stadium to watch her husband in action?
© BCCI
"Distractions" are exactly what the team management would want to avoid right through the tournament. There were major restrictions on the India cricketers interacting with the frenzied home media during the 2011 World Cup - it was mostly the captain and then coach Gary Kirsten who were entrusted with the pre-match press rituals. This time, the board has gone a step forward. But reports also indicated that there will be a small window where only wives (not girlfriends) will be allowed to visit players.
It remains to be seen how the move works. Kohli was panned for spending time with Anushka in England and drawing blanks with the bat. However, the feisty 26-year-old made up for his failures and slammed 692 runs Down Under, with his girlfriend watching from the VIP stands.
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