When Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma were 'kicked out' of a cafe in New Zealand, Jemimah Rodrigues reveals

Dubai: Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues recently shared a light-hearted story involving herself, teammate Smriti Mandhana, cricket legend Virat Kohli, and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.

Speaking to Mashable India, Jemimah revealed that the group was once kicked out of a cafe in New Zealand after an extended chat that went on for hours.

The meeting originally began as a casual get-together. Jemimah and Smriti had hoped to get some batting tips from Kohli, and the trio met at a cafe inside the hotel where both the men’s and women’s teams were staying. Anushka Sharma also joined Virat for the meet-up.

“For the first 30 minutes, we just spoke about cricket,” Jemimah recalled. “He actually told Smriti and me, ‘You both have the power to change women’s cricket, and I can see that happening.’”

As the conversation unfolded, the topic shifted from cricket to life and various other subjects. What started as a short meet-up turned into a four-hour-long conversation. “It felt like a few long-lost friends catching up. The only reason we stopped was because the café staff asked us to leave,” she said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Kohli and Anushka have been residing in London, staying largely out of the spotlight. Even before Kohli announced his retirement from Test and T20I formats, the couple had expressed their desire to move to England. In 2024, Anushka gave birth to their second child, Akaay Kohli, in London. The family is often seen enjoying quiet strolls around the city with their children, Vamika and Akaay.

Currently, Kohli is gearing up for a return to the ODI squad for the upcoming series against Australia. He recently completed a fitness test in London. There are also reports suggesting that both Kohli and Rohit Sharma could feature in India A’s squad to prepare for the series. The matches are scheduled for September 30, October 3, and October 5 at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.