Watch: Ravi Shastri recalls how BCCI let Anushka Sharma join Virat Kohli in Australia tour of 2014/15

During the latest episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5, which featured the two legendary former players- Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri- the latter opened up about several past incidents, one of which involved Virat Kohli requesting him and the BCCI to allow Anushka Sharma to accompany him during the 2014/15 trip to Australia. 

Those were the days when Kohli and Anushka were dating, as Shastri revealed that the cricketer’s performance seemingly improved when Anushka was in the stands. Before that trip, the right-handed batter struggled so much in 2014 during their England series.

Shastri recalls Kohli asking “can I get my girlfriend in here?” under BCCI’s wives-only rule

Speaking to Kapil Sharma, the host, the former Indian coach took Kohli’s example and explained why the players should be allowed to have their partners around during the games. That has been a constant issue where the board hasn’t allowed the girlfriends and wives to travel with the players.

Watch the video here- 

“Many players had their girlfriends. The players need support, so it should be allowed for them to bring their girlfriends. And she was allowed. The match began on the 26th, Kohli charged out like a warrior and scored 160. And when he hit a hundred, he kissed his bat.” Shastri expressed on the show.

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The episode also featured Kiku Sharda, Krushna Abhishek, and Sunil Grover, who did the mimicry of Kapil Dev, the former Indian captain and the premier all-rounder of the side.

What happened in that series: Kohli’s four centuries and 692 runs on the 2014-15 Australia tour

Kohli finished the 2014/15 tour of Australia as the second leading run-getter. The right-handed batter smashed 692 runs in just eight innings at an average of 86.50 and a fine strike rate of 63.51, thanks to four centuries and one half-century at the best score of 169, which he got during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

During the opening clash of the series at the Adelaide Oval, the Indian star smacked 115 runs in the first innings and finished with 141 runs in the second. However, the Indian side failed to earn the victory and fell short by 48 runs.

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He finished the series with another fine knock of 147 runs during the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). He was in supreme touch during that period.