4 On-field moments where Indian cricketers showed their romantic sides

'Tis the week of love. And as one of the greatest writers of all time, Leo Tolstoy puts it, "We are asleep until we fall in love".

If you think this is a post about the cricket romantic kinda love, I'm sorry to disappoint you. That's for another day. This one's about the moments when we witnessed the romantic sides of our cricketers, the very few awww-spiring moments we rarely get to see on a cricket field. So, here we go:

---

#4 When Zaheer Khan was clean bowled in the dressing room

It was Day 3 of the 3rd Test match of the TVS Cup between India and Pakistan in Bangalore. The match was evenly poised as India were 121-1 in response to Pakistan's 570 in the first innings. Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid were in the middle for India. But for a brief moment, it was Zaheer Khan who made the crowd go crazy and stole the show.

It all started when the camera caught a female fan expressing her love for Zaheer Khan with a placard saying "Zaheer Khan I love you". She followed it up with a flying kiss to which Zaheer couldn't help but blush. The camera crew was quick to respond, and instantly Zaheer was on the giant screen blushing while Yuvraj Singh pulled his leg.

To everyone's surprise, Zaheer made a beautiful gesture and blew a kiss back towards the fan which made her blush as well. As the crowd cheered and applauded, Ravi Shastri uttered the words, "Well done young girl... You have made an impression."

As everything was on the giant screen, even the players on the field were seen grinning to what transpired to be a spontaneous, beautiful gesture from one of the most eligible bachelors of the time in Indian cricket.

#3 Flamboyant Virat's flying kiss

Virat Kohli couldn't care less about how things would turn, for he was madly in love

As Virat Kohli bettered Sir Vivian Richards' record of fastest to 6000 ODI runs by 5 innings on Nov 9, 2014, he also, in typical Virat-style cleared the air surrounding him and his then rumoured girlfriend Anushka Sharma.

As he reached the milestone, he took off his helmet, kissed his bat, and blew a kiss, in the direction to where Anushka Sharma was seated, who responded with a standing ovation and a slightly blushed but rather composed face. Surely, she didn't see it coming and that's the spontaneity of Virat.

The media went crazy and it made headlines everywhere. That was the beginning of a new phase for Virat Kohli as he made his love life public. And probably, in all of cricket's history, it was a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable moment.

#2 When Rohit Sharma lifted the 2017 IPL Trophy with wife Ritika

In 2017, Mumbai Indians defeated Rising Pune Supergiant by 1 run and clinched their 3rd IPL title and became the first team to do so in the short history of the tournament. With this victory, Rohit Sharma also became the most successful captain in IPL in terms of titles won.

It was a special and important tournament for Rohit Sharma as he came into the tournament after a 4-month injury break which he got in October 2016. And during his time off the field, it was the support of his loved ones and especially, his wife, Ritika which helped him make a strong comeback.

The Mumbai Indians captain decided to have his wife lift the IPL 2017 trophy with him as a small token of love and gratitude for all her support and encouragement. Cricket witnessed yet another beautiful moment of love.

#1 The 'Victory Walk' at the SCG

As India created history, Virat Kohli expressed his gratitude towards his wife, Anushka Sharma

In the recently concluded Test series against Australia, Virat Kohli led Indian team created history by becoming the first sub-continent team to defeat Australia in a test series in their own backyard in the history of the game.

As the SCG Test ended in a draw and Team India clinched the series 2-1, Virat Kohli invited Anushka Sharma on the field for the victory walk. It was only fitting that Virat Kohli led India to a history-making victory where he started his captaincy 4 years ago. And he couldn't have asked for a better company by his side than his better-half.

It was not just a beautiful moment but also a very strong message to the trolls who blame cricketers' families and loved ones for their poor performances, and not realize and appreciate the important role of such unsung heroes in a sportsperson's life.