Mumbai: It’s been a season of cricket weddings and engagements and Robin Uthappa’s is just the latest. While they make the entire nation go crazy with cricket fever, it looks like the Indian cricket team has been hit by wedding fever this year. First, it was our very own star-spinner, Harbhajan Singh, who married his long-time girlfriend and Bollywood actress, Geeta Basra, on October 29, 2015
After Yuvraj Singh, now it is Indian batsman Robin Uthappa who is engaged. Uthappa shared the news of his engagement with childhood friend Sheethal Gautam, on twitter. Confirmation of the private ceremony came on November 12, a day after the 30-year-old opener celebrated his birthday.
Sheethal, a former tennis player has always stood by the Indian batsman. A number of times Uthappa has told the media how this friend of his has helped him overcome bad patches. The two have been dating since 2008 and never shyed away from confessing it. They have been spotted together a number of times- be it at CEAT cricket ceremony or Sheethal’s birthday.
Uthappa had stopped enjoying the game after he was dropped from Team India in 2008. Sheethal kept on giving him moral support and suggested a nutritionist. After that, the cricketer scored two hundreds in three Ranji Trophy matches and displayed an attacking form in IPL 7. Robbie’s performance in IPL brought him back to the national side.
Son of Venu Uthappa, a former international hockey referee, Robin Uthappa made it to the news when he scored 66 runs for India B team, batting against bowlers like Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Murali Kartik. In 2006 he made his debut for Team India against England and scored 86 in his first match. He left wicket-keeping to focus more on his batting but if needed, he still dons the gloves. In IPL 2010 he hit the most number of sixes (27) and in IPL 2011 auction, he turned out to be the second most expensive player.
After debut, inconsistency had caused his removal from the national team. He was called back for a 7-match ODI series and played a key role in the sixth match. Uthappa, who was nicknamed ‘The Walking Assassin’ because of his tactic of strolling down the pitch, could never transfer his outstanding domestic form to international arena on a long term basis.
Bureau Report
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