When he's not busy driving cover shots or leading fan chants, Virat Kohli is apparently serving up smashes in a different kind of arena—pickleball. Taking a breather from the high-octane drama of the IPL, Kohli recently swapped his bat for a paddle in a friendly game with none other than his wife, actor Anushka Sharma. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) social media team shared a charming glimpse of the couple mid-game, dressed in sleek athleisure and trading high fives like pros of the pickleball world.
But the Kohli-Sharma duo weren’t the only sporty sweethearts on the court. RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik and his wife Deepika Pallikal, an accomplished squash champion, also joined in. What unfolded looked less like a competitive clash and more like a Netflix-ready crossover episode titled Love, Smash & Strategy. It’s not every day you get two celebrity couples, four rackets, and a whole lot of fun in one frame—unless you're in the RCB camp, apparently.
The light-hearted court session came amidst a poignant moment in Indian cricket history—Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket. Announced with the understated grace that’s become his hallmark, the news sent shockwaves through fans and cricketing circles alike. Over 9,000 runs, dozens of centuries, and 14 years of grit, fire, and iconic moments—Virat’s Test career has been nothing short of legendary. His battles against Australia, his masterclasses in South Africa, and his stubborn resilience in English conditions are now part of cricketing folklore.
And yet, even as one chapter closes, another opens—with pickleball, parenting, or perhaps even punditry. Kohli’s ability to pivot between fierce competitor and laid-back family man is part of what has always set him apart. Whether he’s launching sixes or lifting spirits on a sunny court with Anushka, the message is clear: Virat may have walked off the red ball pitch, but he’s still very much in the game—just with a different kind of swing.
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