MUMBAI: Actor Anushka Sharma heaped praise on cricketer-husband Virat Kohli for showing composure in sickness after he ended his prolonged century drought in red-ball cricket, bringing up his first Test hundred since November 2019 on Day 4 of the ongoing final Test against Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Taking to Instagram stories, Anushka re-shared a video of Virat from the match and captioned it “Playing through sickness with this composure. Inspiring me always.”
His 28th century in the game’s longest format and his career’s 75th after 1,205 days was studded with 15 boundaries.
On September 8, 2022, during the Asia Cup 2022 match against Afghanistan, Virat ended his drought of international centuries, smashing 122* off 61 balls. This was also Virat’s first ever century in T20I cricket. His last international ton before that had come in November 2019, in a Test match against Bangladesh.
He followed it up by breaking his ODI century drought on December 10 2022 during 3rd ODI against Bangladesh. He scored 113 in 91 balls to end his ODI ton drought of 1,116 days. Before it, his last ODI ton was against West Indies in August 2019.
The first half of 2022 was filled with the struggle for Virat as he could score only 476 runs in 16 matches across 19 innings at an average of 25.05, with just four half-centuries.
But since Asia Cup, he seems to have rediscovered the touch that made him one of the most feared players in the sport. In 31 matches and 35 innings, he has scored 1,507 runs at an average of 55.81. He has scored five centuries and seven fifties since Asia Cup. His best individual score is 186 since the Asia Cup.
He emerged as second highest run scorer in Asia Cup (276 runs) and leading run-scorer in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 (296 runs)
Coming to the match against Australia, a marathon innings effort from star batter Virat and his 162-run partnership with Axar Patel helped India end the fourth day of the fourth and final Test against Australia with a lead of 88 runs in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Recently, ahead of the fourth Test match against Australia, Virat and Anushka visited the famous Baba Mahakaleshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district.
They also participated in the ‘Bhasma Aarti’ on the occasion. ‘Bhasma aarti’ (prayer with ashes) is a famous ritual performed during the Brahma Muhurta.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Anushka will be seen essaying the role of the legendary former India pacer Jhulan Goswami in the much-talked-about film ‘Chakda Xpress’.The final release date of the film is still awaited.
The movie will see the ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ actor portraying the role of a cricketer for the first time in her career.
Anushka’s brother Karnesh Sharma will be producing ‘Chakda Xpress’ with his home production company Clean Slate Filmz. (ANI)