Indian women’s cricket star Jemimah Rodrigues recently shared a fun story involving legendary batter Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma. The anecdote came up during an interview with The Bombay Journey, where Jemimah recounted a memorable interaction that took place during a New Zealand tour.

According to Jemimah, the story began when her teammate Smriti Mandhana approached Kohli for some cricketing advice. At that time, the Indian men’s and women’s teams were staying at the same hotel. Kohli, accompanied by Anushka Sharma, warmly welcomed both Smriti and Jemimah to join them at the hotel cafe.

The meeting provided a casual yet memorable moment for the Indian women cricketers, who got a chance to interact with one of the biggest icons in world cricket. For Jemimah and her teammates, it was not only a fun experience but also an inspiring encounter with Kohli’s guidance and Anushka’s friendly presence.

See Also: 3 teams that should sign in-form Jason Holder for IPL 2026

Jemimah Rodrigues Shares a Fun Story from New Zealand Tour:

Jemimah Rodrigues recently recounted a memorable story featuring cricketing legend Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma. She shared the anecdote during an interview, highlighting a fun and inspiring interaction that left a lasting impression on her and her teammates during their tour.

She said, “ Once we were in New Zealand. Smriti and I were there, and the men's and women's teams were staying in the same hotel. So Smriti and I asked Virat if he could talk to us about batting. He said, 'Yeah, please come,' and then he told us to come down to the cafe. For the first half an hour, we spoke only about cricket.”

Jemimah Rodrigues also shared how Virat Kohli offered her and Smriti Mandhana an inspiring message. His words motivated the young cricketers, providing guidance and encouragement that left a positive impact on them during their time together at the hotel cafe.

She recalled, “ You both have the power to change women's cricket. And I can see that happening. Just take up that responsibility because the change you can bring is going to be big and massive.”

She further said, “ We talked a lot about batting and related things. After that, we just spoke about life, like how long-lost friends meet and chat.”

The conversation between them went on for hours, filled with insights and laughter, until the cafe staff eventually asked them to leave due to closing time, bringing an end to the memorable and engaging interaction between the cricketers and the superstar couple.

She added, “ We ended up talking for four hours - half an hour on batting and four hours on random stuff. The only reason we stopped was because the cafe staff kicked us out. They said, 'That's it, it's done now. It's 11:30, you need to leave.”

When asked whether she discussed the similarities between her batting style and Kohli’s, Jemimah Rodrigues responded, sharing her thoughts on the comparison and reflecting on how she views Kohli’s technique and approach as an inspiration in shaping her own game. She said, “ Yes, I did speak to him.”