8 famous Indian cricketers who still meet their childhood friends

MS Dhoni. (Photo source: X)

Professional cricketers have to make various sacrifices during their lives. Friendships often take a backseat as they do not get time to spend with their families and close ones. However, some friendships have stood the test of time, and it’s heartwarming to see and discuss.

On this note, here’s a look at 10 famous Indian cricketers who still meet their childhood friends:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Nupur Nagar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar married his childhood friend, Nupur Nagar, in November 2017. They had known each other since their early teenage days. Bhuvneshwar and Nupur were blessed with a baby girl in November 2021 and they named her Acsah.

Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli

Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli grew up together in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park and trained under the same coach, Ramakant Achrekar, during their childhood days. They set a world record for the highest partnership in school cricket, scoring 664 runs together in the Harris Shield tournament. Their friendship hit a roadblock when Kambli said in a reality show that Tendulkar could have done more to help him in his career. However, they have reconciled, and the Master Blaster has given financial assistance to his friend over the years.

Yuvraj Singh and Angad Bedi

Angad Bedi, a Bollywood actor and the son of legendary Indian spinner Bishan Bedi, is Yuvraj Singh’s childhood friend. The former was the best man at Yuvraj’s wedding to Hazel Keech. There was reportedly a rift between the two after Angad’s marriage to Neha Dhupia. However, they have been spotted together recently at family and public events.

Axar Patel and Meha Patel

Axar Patel and Meha were friends for a very long time before they got engaged in January 2022 and eventually tied the knot a year later in a traditional Gujarat wedding ceremony. Meha gave birth to a baby boy, Haksh, on December 19, 2024. The lady luck has certainly struck the star all-rounder since the marriage, as he won the T20 World Cup with the Men in Blue, and also got promoted as the captain of the Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals.

Ajinkya Rahane and Radhika Dhopavkar

Ajinkya Rahane and his wife Radhika Dhopavkar were childhood friends before getting married. They grew up in the same neighbourhood in Mumbai. In September 2014, they tied the knot. In 2019, they were blessed with a daughter named Aarya and three years later, Radhika gave birth to a baby boy, Raghav. Radhika is very supportive of his friend-cum-husband, and is seen tailing with the Ashwi-KD-born during major tournaments as well.

Virender Sehwag and Ashish Nehra

Virender Sehwag and Ashish Nehra share a long-standing friendship that stemmed from their teenage days. They used to travel on a scooter to the Feroz Shah Kotla ground for practice. Their camaraderie grew stronger as they played together for Delhi and then in the Indian team. As both are now retired cricketers, they find time to re-unite as broadcasters, coaches, or just spectators at the game.

Virat Kohli reunited with his childhood friend, Shawez Khan, during a training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium when he joined the Delhi team to play in the Ranji Trophy 2024-2025. The former India captain was making his return to domestic cricket after 12 years. Shawez and Kohli embraced each other, and the latter also posed for pictures with his friend and his son, Kabir—whom Virat also gave a few batting tips.

Seemant Lohani, popularly known as Chittu, has been MS Dhoni’s close friend for many years. In the star cricketer’s Bollywood biopic, ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’, Chittu’s character portrays how Lohani supported the legendary wicketkeeper-batter through his tough times. Lohani manages some of the former India captain’s business affairs, including endorsement deals and his cricket academy.

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