"Aggressive player, benevolent man - so easy to love," Anushka posted on her Instagram story, along with a news snippet of Virat's act
Anushka Sharma. (Right) Screen grab of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith shaking hands
Actress Anushka Sharma lauded her husband and India cricket captain Virat Kohli for stopping Indian fans from booing former Australia captain Steve Smith during their World Cup match in London on Sunday.
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"Aggressive player, benevolent man - so easy to love," Anushka posted on her Instagram story, along with a news snippet of Virat's act.
Smith was constantly booed by Indian fans during the World Cup fixture between India and Australia at the Kennington Oval which the Indian team won by 36 runs.
Smith, who was the captain when the Australian ball-tampering controversy took place last year, was first booed, with chants of "cheater, cheater", making the rounds while he was fielding at third man during the Indian innings. All-rounder Hardik Pandya had just been dismissed, and the crowd tried to get under Smith's skin with the chants.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who was batting at the time, looked up towards that section of the stadium and gestured them not to do so. He instead made a "clap" gesture and pointed towards Smith. He also did the same when Smith walked past, with both players shaking hands.
Commenting on it in a post-match press conference, Kohli expressed sympathy for Smith and apologised on behalf of the Indian crowd.
“If I was in a position where something had happened with me, and I’d apologised and accepted it, and came back and still I would get booed, I wouldn’t like it either.”#ViratKohli on why he asked the fans to stop booing Steve Smith. #CWC19 | #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/CIMicjoSA0
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 9, 2019
"Just because there are so many Indian fans here, I just didn't want them to set a bad example, to be honest, because he didn't do anything to be booed, in my opinion," Kohli said.
A true icon. Well done captain! #INDvAUS #WorldCup2019 pic.twitter.com/IroCQ4blHJ
— Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) June 10, 2019
Apart from Anushka, actor Ayushmann Khurrana was also impressed by Kohli's on-field gesture.
"A true icon. Well done captain," he tweeted.
Many other prominent personalities took to Twitter to laud the Indian captain. Here are a few tweets:
Wow. How good is this from Virat Kohli? Steve Smith is sent to field on the boundary, and immediately cops the most hideous boos from the Indian fans. So Kohli turns to that stand and gestures for them to clap Smith. #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/GBTPaolOXh
— Sam Landsberger u00f0u009fu0097u00af (@SamLandsberger) June 9, 2019
Virat Kohli's asking the Indians in the Oval to applaud Steve Smith is such a great gesture. I have seen many amazing cricketers over the years. Rarely seen someone change his game and his attitude so much over a decade. He is an absolute inspiration!
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) June 9, 2019
This is what leadership & sportsmanship looks like: Indian captain @imVkohli tells Indian fans to applaud Steve Smith rather than boo him pic.twitter.com/cBZpjJZppJ
— Justin Stevens (@_JustinStevens_) June 10, 2019
Great sportsmanship earlier by Virat Kohli which was appreciated by Steve Smith - telling the Indian fans to stop booing Smith when he was fielding on the boundary #INDvAUS #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/fehhWKD0fn
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) June 9, 2019
#ViratKohli in PC on crowd booing Steve Smith: “He has apologised, and come back. He has been down. It is not okay to boo & didn’t want Indian crowd to set a bad example. He doesn’t deserve to be booed. So I apologised to him on behalf of the crowd.” #IndvAus #IndvsAus #CWC19
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) June 9, 2019
Good on you Virat Kohli - India's Virat Kohli praised for defending Steve Smith from crowds https://t.co/k2ysd98C3P
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 10, 2019
Good to watch @imVkohli ask the Indian crowd to applaud Steve Smith. Super stuff from the Indian skipper! https://t.co/j4mjAYHSpE
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 9, 2019
Virat Kohli's big hearted gesture towards Steve Smith who was being booed by the Indian crowds is sportsmanship at it's highest and must be applauded by all whether you like or dislike the man or the cricketer.
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) June 10, 2019
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