Every year, the popularity of international cricket grows by leaps and bounds, as does the celebrity of these world-class athletes. However, popularity comes with a great degree of responsibility for what you do on and off the field, especially in today’s digital age.
If you make a mistake, you could land up on a list like this. Here are five embarrassing off-field incidents that have gotten international cricketers into hot water with their fans:
1. Yuzvendra Chahal – Tweeting For Numbers
Yuzvendra Chahal, it turns out, was no stranger to social media even before it was invented.
which inadvertently sparked his desire to make videos. The Indian bowler had only recently joined Twitter in December 2011 and was still learning how to use it.
He was, it turns out, asking for the contact information of various Twitter users by sending out tweets to the entire world!
2. Chris Gayle – Don’t Blush Baby
Perhaps no incident has caused as much controversy as this one. Chris Gayle, who is renowned for being a cheery and humorous person, went above and beyond during the BBL 2015–16. He made improper remarks during a sideline interview with Australian journalist Mel McLaughlin during a game that caused a huge uproar.
During the 2015-2016 Big Bash League season, Christopher Henry Gayle was fined A$10,000 for making “inappropriate” statements to Mel McLaughlin, an Australian cricketer reporter. “It’s lovely to see your eyes for the first time,” Gayle said during the interview. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get a drink afterwards. “Baby, don’t blush.”
Gayle eventually apologised for what he described as a “simple joke”:
“I wanted to have an interview with you as well, that’s why I’m here. I get to see your eyes for the first time, it’s nice. Hopefully, we can win and go for a drink after. Don’t blush baby,” said the Jamaican in that interview. This, of course, didn’t go well with Mel and she got offended by the comments. Gayle was slapped with a $10,000 fine and was suspended from the league then. The Windies cricketer further caused more embarrassment when he shot an ad featuring the same lines he said in the interview.
3. Hardik Pandya’s comments on KWK – Aaj Karke Aaya
Hardik Pandya opted to talk about how he used to get involved with several women as a guest on Karan Johar’s talk programme Koffee With Karan and even recounted the storey of telling his parents he’d lost his virginity.
“I enjoy seeing and watching how they (women) move around the club.” Pandya explained, “I’m from the Black side, so I need to observe how they move.”
“I came home after losing my virginity and said, ‘Main karke aya hai aaj (I had sex today)’.” “At a party, my parents asked me, ‘acha tera wala (women) kaun sa hai (who is your interest here?)’ so I answered, ‘yeh, yeh, yeh (pointing out women),’ and they were like, ‘waah proud of you beta,'” he continued.
4. Aditya Tare – Messing With Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan, an Indian Bollywood actor, was banned for five years from visiting Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium after a violent fight with a few members of the Maharashtra Cricket Association during an IPL match in 2012.
Mumbai Indians wicket-keeping batsman decided to go on Twitter calling out the actor for being “drunk” and even expressed happiness over him being banned.
5. Yuzvendra Chahal – Sliding Into Random Woman’s DM
“That was not me it was my nephew” v2.0 🤪🤪🤪
— . (@AnasMagnificent) November 6, 2018
Yuzi Chahal doing harakiri LMAO 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/XSLxdZ4DRR
It’s been said that the only way to learn is to make errors, and while Yuzvendra Chahal did learn how to slip into ladies’ DMs, he probably forgot how easy it is to grab screenshots.
In 2018, a random woman was DMed by someone from Chahal’s official Instagram account. Chahal later admitted in the same chat that he wasn’t the one who texted her ‘in case she thought so.’
6. Virat Kohli looking at Archana Vijaya’s notes
This most recent incident resulted in a significant dispute involving Indian captain Virat Kohli. During the 2017 IPL, an image that went viral sparked a heated discussion. Virat was observed gazing at the interviewer’s torn jeans as she was doing a sports anchor segment.
As a result, there was a lot of criticism on social media, and the RCB captain was called names. Kohli attempted to cheat during the rapid-fire round, but Archana later claimed that he was looking at the cue card. Virat, however, was really humiliated by it as there were many unfavourable remarks made about him.
7. Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli pics with Sofia Hayat
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have made significant career advancements and are now happily married. The vice-captain of the Indian limited-overs team is now a father as well. They would nonetheless regret the private exchanges they had at the party with model actor Sofia Hayat.
They suffered terrible embarrassment as their photos of the former nun went public online. Sofia made some offensive remarks about the pair in the past, and both of them will look back on their behaviour.
Yuzi, I’m sure you don’t think so. Obviously not.