India's ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, recently shared the heartwarming story of how he proposed to his wife, Ritika Sajdeh. In a conversation with former cricketer Harbhajan Singh and his wife Geeta Basra on their YouTube show "Who's The Boss?", Sharma revealed the details of his romantic proposal, which had a special connection to his cricketing journey.
Sharma, who married Ritika on December 13, 2015, and has two children with her – a six-year-old daughter named Samaira and a son named Ahaan, born in 2024 – took listeners through his love story. Before becoming his wife, Ritika was his sports manager. The couple first met during an advertisement shoot, and Sharma humorously recalled how Yuvraj Singh jokingly warned him to stay away from her, as she was Yuvraj's rakhi sister. Initially, Sharma admitted he wasn't particularly fond of Ritika, but as fate would have it, they grew closer.
Sharma decided to propose to Ritika in a unique and memorable way, tying it back to his roots in cricket. He recounted, "My proposal was quite romantic. I took her to the place where I started playing cricket." He was referring to the Borivali Sports Club in Mumbai, the very ground where he began his cricket career at the age of 11.
On the day of the proposal, Sharma drove Ritika from her residence in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, towards the Borivali Sports Club. To keep the surprise, he told her they were going out for ice cream. “She had brought food from home. We ate it. So, I was just sitting. Then I told her let's go out to eat ice cream, I'm bored," Sharma said. As they drove, Ritika became curious about the location of the ice cream shop. "Then we took the car out, we left. We left from Marine Drive, crossed Haji Ali, Worli. So, she asked where is the ice cream shop? She does not know anything after Bandra. I told her there's a good one in Borivali, where I live. You've never come, so let me show you," Sharma shared.
As they reached the ground, it was dark, and Ritika didn't realize it was a cricket ground. Sharma had already arranged for a friend to set up the scene and capture the moment. "It was a ground, and it was pitch dark, and she didn't realise it was a ground. Then I had already told my friend to set up something there at the ground and just be there to capture the moment. We parked the car. Then I went on my knees, in the middle of the pitch. Then, I proposed to her," he added. Sharma presented her with a solitaire ring and asked her to marry him.
The proposal took place on April 28, 2015, and the couple got engaged on June 3, 2015. Ritika posted a picture of the two on Instagram, flashing her engagement ring with the caption, "My happily ever after."
The story highlights the couple's deep connection and Sharma's thoughtful gesture to propose at a place that held significant meaning for him. The romantic proposal has captured the hearts of fans, showcasing the beautiful bond between the cricketer and his wife.
This revelation comes at a time of change in Sharma's career, as he recently retired from T20Is after India's World Cup victory last year and stepped away from Test cricket ahead of the ongoing series against England.
