'In the middle of...': Rohit Sharma recounts his secret, romantic proposal to wife Ritika Sajdeh

India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma shared the story of his romantic marriage proposal to his wife, Ritika Sajdeh. Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket last month and is currently not part of the Indian squad for the ongoing Test series against England. His last appearance was during the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) season. 

Recently, Rohit and Ritika featured in a candid conversation with Harbhajan Singh and his wife Geeta Basra Singh on their YouTube podcast, Who’s The Boss. The couples discussed various topics but what truly captured the hearts of millions was when Rohit Sharma recounted his touching proposal story. He revealed that rather than opting for an extravagant restaurant or a lavish proposal, he decided to keep it meaningful and proposed to her at his childhood cricket ground. He pretended to take Ritika to an ice-cream shop, and she only realized it was a proposal when Rohit got down on one knee.

"My proposal was quite romantic. I took her to the place where I started playing cricket. We were here only (somewhere along Marine Drive apparently). 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. 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," said Rohit.

"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.

Rohit Sharma and Ritika Sajdeh share one of the most cherished relationships in Indian cricket. Ritika has been a steadfast support for Rohit throughout the years, even prior to their marriage on December 13, 2015, after a six-year courtship. She is frequently spotted cheering for her husband with her fingers crossed. In 2018, the adorable couple welcomed their daughter, Samaira, and in 2024, they celebrated the arrival of their second child, a son named Ahaan.

Rohit's retirement from Test cricket occurred just days before former Indian captain Virat Kohli also made the surprising announcement that he would no longer be playing Test matches for India. Both Rohit and Kohli had previously retired from T20Is last year, following India's victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final.

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