Love, both on and off the field, has its own magic, and as we celebrate Valentine's Day, what better way to revel in the spirit of romance than by exploring the heartwarming tales of Indian sports couples? Beyond the victories and defeats, these athletes have found love in each other, creating a symphony of passion and companionship. In this special feature, we dive into the lives of the Top 8 Indian Sports Couples, unravelling their unique stories that go beyond the sports arena.

Top 10 Indian Sports Couples and their stories

Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap

The Indian badminton stars are one of the most prominent Indian Sports Couples. Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap met each other through badminton in 1997. But they started meeting each other in 2002 when they trained together in Hyderabad. They started dating in 2004 when they started training under Pullela Gopichand. Though at first, they decided to keep it a secret and appeared in public just as close friends. Finally, they broke out as a couple and got married in 2018.

"We dated for a long, long time. It was childish that we hid it from all our friends. We would be very secretive about it. We were shy and scared," Kashyap said about their early dating life. Both the badminton stars have been a motivating force for their partners through tough times with injuries and forms. Since mid-2018, Kashyap started coaching Saina as well. 

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Dinesh Karthik and Dipika Pallikal

Dinesh Karthik and Dipika Pallikal are one of Indian Sports Couples who do not belong to the same sports. Dinesh Karthik, a prominent name in Indian cricket and Dipika Pallikal, one of the best squash players in the country met each other in a gym. Dipika, who did not use to like cricketers due to their popularity, cleared his misconceptions about Indian Cricketers when she started having a friendship with Dinesh. Soon, they started going out and the friendship turned into love. 

On 15 November 2013, the couple made their relationship official with an engagement ceremony and later married in 2015 in Chennai. The couple now are blessed with two twin baby boys.

Also Read: 'Dhoni mania was so big that you had to pick him…He replaced me in all formats', – Dinesh Karthik

Milkha Singh and Nirmal Kaur

Milkha Singha and Nirmal Kaur were probably the first-ever Indian Sports Couple. Mikha Singh, a sensational track and field athlete met Nirmal Kaur, the then captain of the Indian Volleyball Women's team during a tour in Sri Lanka. "It was in 1957 during the Indo-Ceylon sports meet that I met Nirmal for the first time," Milkha Singh had told The Tribune during an interview.

In 1962, Milkha Singh and Nirmal Kaur got married and they had three daughters and a son. India's golf sensation Jeev Milkha Singh is their son. Both Milkha Singh and Nirmal Kaur passed away in a difference of five days in 2021 due to Covid-19.

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Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari

The biggest names of Indian Archery, Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari first met each other in 2008 at Tata Academy in Jamshedpur. The early days of their relationship were filled with misunderstandings, communication gaps, and two big egos. Since Atanu was not very good with his Hindi, he never used to talk with Deepika in their early days. "He didn't know Hindi then, so he wouldn't talk to me," Deepika told Indian Express in an interview. 

Though they used to fight over small things during their time in training, the duo started liking each other during the 2017 World Championships and started going out shopping together. They got engaged the following year and tied the knot on 30 June 2020.

Also Read: Mohammed Shami Receives Arjuna Award; Badminton Duo Satwik & Chirag Collect the Khel Ratna Award

Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat

One of the biggest names in Indian Wrestling Bajrang Punia and Sangeet Phogat found their love in their profession. Both wrestlers first met each other at a wrestling camp in Sonepat and started liking each other. Bajrang would send his phone number to Sangeeta expecting to get a reply from her. However, Sangeeta did not reply to her. But, the next day they met each other in training and expressed liking for each other. The wrestlers got married in November 2020.

Pullela Gopichand and PVV Lakshmi

Pullela Gopichand, the backbone of the Indian badminton revolution found his love in the Badminton court itself. PVV Lakshmi, the 8-time national champion married Gopichand on June 5 2002. Gopichand rose to fame after winning the All England Badminton Championships in 2001 and won the Arjuna Award that year as well. Meanwhile, PVV Lakshmi was the first-ever Indian women shuttler to qualify for the Olympics. She featured in the 1992 & 1996 Olympics.

PVV Lakshmi stood as a pillar of strength for Gopichand when he started building the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad. Lakshmi would help Pullela with some monetary help during their early days of building the academy. They even went on to mortgage their family home to raise money for the academy. They have two children, a daughter named Gayathri and a son named Vishnu. Gayathri is already a rising name in World Badminton.

Anju Bobby George and Robert Bobby George

The queen of Indian Athletics Anju Bobby George and former triple jump National champion come at number seven in our list of Indian Sports Couples. Anju Bobby George was the first Indian to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships when she won the bronze in the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris. At that time Robert used to be her coach and after her historic medal in 2003, Robert won the Dronacharya award in 2004 as well.

Sakshi Malik and Satyawart Kadian

It looks like wrestlers find their love in their sport more than often. Sakshi Malik, the Rio Olympic Bronze Medal winner and Satyawart Kadian, a silver medalist in the 2014 Commonwealth Games used to go to the same school as teenagers. 

Though Satyawart used to be a heavyweight champion since his early days, she used to always shy away from Sakshi Malik, the star of his school. However, the two started bonding with time and supported each other in tough times. Satyawart missed the Rio Olympics berth by one second but kept on supporting Sakshi even though he was having a tough time personally. They both tied the knot in 2017 after Sakshi's historical medal in 2016.

Former CSK captain MS Dhoni has entered history books again with a rare achievement as wicketkeeper. He completed 200 dismissals as a keeper in IPL, a feat that places him on top of the list of most dismissals in IPL history . He reached this historic number during CSK’s match against LSG in IPL 2025. Dhoni’s 200th dismissal came when he stumped Ayush Badoni, showing once again why he’s still one of the best, even at the age of 43. 

Also Read: Most Fifties in T20 Cricket

Let's take a look at the wicketkeepers with most dismissals in IPL history.

Most Dismissals in IPL

5. Wriddhiman Saha | 118

Wriddhiman Saha is known for his clean glovework and quick reflexes. While he may not be as loud or flashy as some other players, his wicketkeeping skills are among the finest in IPL history. He holds the fifth position in this list. Wriddhiman owns 118 dismissals in IPL. He affected 113 dismissals with the wicket-keeping gloves.

4. Robin Uthappa | 124

Robin Uthappa was a utility player who often switched between being a specialist batsman and wicketkeeper. His flexibility across multiple roles has been one of his major strengths. He ranks fourth in the list of most dismissals in IPL history. Uthappa owns 124 dismissals in IPL. He affected 90 dismissals with the wicket-keeping gloves.

3. AB de Villiers | 126

AB de Villiers has the most fielding dismissals by an overseas player in the IPL. He trails Karthik with 126 dismissals. As a wicket-keeper, de Villiers registered 36 dismissals, a tally that has 28 catches and eight stumpings.

De Villiers, who was once the heartbeat of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, racked up 5,162 runs at a strike-rate of over 150 in the IPL.

2. Dinesh Karthik | 182

Dinesh Karthik, who represented a host of franchises in the IPL, follows Dhoni on this elite list. He owns 182 such dismissals.

In an IPL career that spanned 16 years, Karthik affected 174 dismissals with the wicket-keeping gloves. His tally includes 137 catches and 37 stumpings. In 2024, Karthik retired with 4,842 runs in the cash-rich league.

Also Read: Most Wickets in 1st Over of IPL

1. MS Dhoni | 200

In his 271st IPL appearance, Dhoni breached the 200-dismissal mark by successfully completing his counterpart Rishabh Pant’s catch in the final over as LSG packed their innings on 166/7. The seasoned wicketkeeper batter boasts 201 dismissals, consisting of 155 catches and 46 stumpings.

Dhoni is now the only player to have registered 200 fielding dismissals in the IPL. His path to this incredible milestone features 197 dismissals as a wicket-keeper. He owns 151 catches and 46 stumpings with the gloves.

Multiple boundaries in a single over, 200-plus totals and edge-of-the-seat chases are often witnessed in IPL, and most of the entertainment the league is famous for comes through the courtesy of the batsmen. The majority of people prefer electric striking, to say, a maiden over or low run-totals.

However, some batsmen consistently perform well and win matches, while others are one-hit wonders who shine in a couple of games every season. The number of sixes and fours doesn’t define how explosive a player is; his strike rate does.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Let's take a look at the batsmen with the best strike rate in IPL with a minimum of 1000 runs.

Best Strike Rate in IPL 

1. Nicholas Pooran | 161.9

Nicholas Pooran is leading the list of players with the best strike rate in IPL - 161.9 with 1601 runs.

Pooran began his IPL career with Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) in 2019, where he played for three seasons. In 2022, Pooran joined Sunrisers Hyderabad. By 2023, he moved to the Lucknow Super Giants, quickly establishing himself as a crucial player. As of November 2024, he is one of the five players retained by the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the 2025 IPL mini-auction.

In the 2024 IPL season, Pooran delivered a standout performance, scoring 499 runs in 14 games with an impressive average of 62.38 and a striking rate of 178.21, which included three half-centuries.

2. Andre Russell | 162

The second name in this list is a very expected one who has actually redefined power-hitting in T20. Andre Russell who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders has an incredible strike rate of 162 with 1084 runs. Russell has many times won games for KKR on his own in very difficult situations.

After spending two seasons with the Delhi-based franchise, he was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders. He helped KKR win the title in his first season. 

Overall Russell played 127 matches in the cash-rich league so far in which he has aggregated 2484 runs at an incredible strike rate of 174.92. He has eleven half-centuries with a high score of 88 not out in the IPL.

3. Suryakumar Yadav | 157.7

The list includes another an Indian player, Suryakumar Yadav who scored 2050 runs in IPL at an impressive strike rate of 157.7.

Surya had his IPL debut in 2011 for MI. He played just one game for Mumbai Indians in 2012. He got his breakthrough in KKR. 2018 saw him return to MI, where he made massive strides in his IPL career. He has been an integral part of the team since and has been retained in the 2025 Mini Auction.

Overall in 150 matches, Suryakumar Yadav scored 3594 runs. In the IPL, Suryakumar Yadav's highest score is 103. Surya has a strike rate of 145.3 and an average of 32.1.

In 2023, he had his greatest IPL season, where he was appointed as the vice-captain of MI along with scoring 605 runs with a strike rate of 181.14 in 16 innings.

4. Shimron Hetmyer | 156

West Indies' middle-order batter Shimron Hetmyer is the fourth name on this list. The left-handed batter has struck 1153 runs with a deadly strike rate of 156.

Hetmyer played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2019. The Delhi Capitals (DC) acquired him in the 2020 season. He played there for two seasons before the Rajasthan Royals signed him in the IPL 2022 mega auction. He will continue to play for the Royals in the upcoming edition. He is the only overseas player to be retained amongst the six retentions of the Royals.

Overall Hetmyer has scored 1243 runs in 72 matches at an average of 31.07 and a strike rate of 153.07. He has smashed 76 boundaries and 82 sixes. His best season came in IPL 2022 when he helped the Rajasthan Royals reach the finals. He had scored 314 runs in 15 innings at an average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 153.92.

Also Read: Most runs in IPL since 2018

5. Dinesh Karthik | 155.9 

Dinesh Karthik comes in at fifth place in this list scoring 1188 runs with an impressive strike rate of 155.9.

Dinesh Karthik’s IPL career has been full of highs and lows, with the veteran batting for around six teams as a middle-order batter. 

After the highs of the 2022 season which earned him a national call-up after three years and a return to India’s T20I squad for the ICC World T20 in 2022 after twelve long years, Dinesh Karthik’s form went down as the wicket-keeper batter has a poor season, managing only 140 runs in 13 matches.

Overall Karthik has scored 4842 runs in 257 matches at an average of 26.31 and a strike rate of 135.36. He has smashed 466 boundaries and 161 sixes. 

Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League has gone to achieve unprecedented success in global cricket scenario. Over its illustrious journey, the tournament has also accommodated several stars and match-winners.

The league is currently amid its eighteen edition and is all set to kick off on March 22. The 10 teams will lock horns against each other in a bid to clinch the title. 

Also Read: IPL 2025: Captains of every franchise

So, before the start of the season let's take a look at the IPL facts that which player has lost the most games in IPL history.

IPL Facts | Most defeats for a player in IPL

1. Virat Kohli 

Virat Kohli has played 252 matches from 2008-24, in which he has scored 8004 runs at a strike rate of 132.0 and an average of 38.7. 

Even though Virat is the highest run scorer in IPL history, there is also a statistic that he is also the cricketer who has lost the most matches in IPL.

2. Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik's name comes second in the list of players who lost the most matches in IPL. Karthik has scored 4842 runs at a strike rate of 135.4. He played for many IPL teams and finally retired while being a part of RCB.

3. Rohit Sharma 

The most successful skipper of the tournament– Rohit Sharma's name comes third in the list of players who have lost the most matches in IPL. He has played 257 matches in IPL, in which he has faced defeat in 119 matches. During this period, his bat has scored 6628 runs at a strike rate of 131.14.

Before shifting his base to the Mumbai franchise, Rohit was a part of the now-defunct Deccan Chargers side.

Also Read: Most Wickets in IPL history

4. MS Dhoni 

While MS Dhoni holds the record for playing the most matches in IPL, he is fourth in the list of players who have lost the most matches in IPL. Mahi has played 264 matches in IPL, in which he scored 5243 runs at a strike rate of 137.54 and an average of 39.13.

Mahi, who made Chennai champion 5 times, comes at number 6 in terms of scoring most runs.

5. Shikhar Dhawan 

Shikhar Dhawan, popularly known as Gabbar, comes at number 5 in the list. He has played 222 matches, in which he has faced defeat in 108 matches. During this time Dhawan has scored 6769 runs at a strike rate of 127.14 and an average of 35.26.

Vijay Hazare Trophy, India's premier List A cricket tournament, has provided a platform for players to make their mark in domestic cricket. 

The competition features a mix of seasoned professionals, IPL stars, and young talents aiming for to prove themselves.

Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Knockout fixture and schedule

let's have a look at the top 10 batters with most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history.

Most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy

1. Ankit Bawne | 3960 Runs

Maharashtra veteran batter Ankit Bawne scored the most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. 

He scored 3960 runs in VHT in 88 innings of 93 matches at an average of 56.57 and a strike rate of 80.03.

Bawne also holds the record for the most century in VHT, registering 15 tons. He broke Ruturaj Gaikwad's record of 12 centuries.

His highest scored is 184*.

2. Dinesh Karthik | 3433 Runs

Senior wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who played for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, scored 3433 runs in 71 innings of 79 matches with 9 centuries and 19 half-centuries.

His highest score is 154*.

3. Manish Pandey | 3403 Runs

Manish Pandey, who led Karnataka in Vijay Hazare Trophy, scored 3403 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament in 99 innings of 103 matches. 

He scored runs at an average of 44.77 and a strike rate of 93.66. His highest score is 142*.

Pandey is the fourth batsman in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy to score 20 plus half centuries (25).

4. Priyank Panchal | 3395 Runs

Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal scored 3395 runs in 83 matches at an average of 42.97 and a strike rate of 80.77.

The right-handed batter smashed 8 centuries and 20 half-centuries for Gujarat. 

Panchal is the first player to score a triple century for Gujarat. He was the leading run-scorer for Gujarat in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy, with 542 runs in seven matches.

His highest score in VHT is 136.

5. Mayank Agarawal | 3304 Runs

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal scored 3304 runs in 69 innings of 70* matches. He scored at an average of 53.29 and a strike rate of 99.81.

He has 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries to his name. His highest score in VHT is 162. 

Mayank was once India's mainstay opener in Test cricket as he opened alongside Rohit Sharma. However, the emergence of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as well as a dip in his own firm worked against him.

He has over 5,300 runs in List A cricket.

6. Prashant Chopra | 3280 Runs

Himachal Pradesh batter Prashant Chopra scored 3280 runs in 80 innings of 81 matches at an average of 42.59 and a strike rate of 81.57.

Prashant smashed 6 centuries and 20 half-centuries for Himachal. His highest score in VHT is 159.

He was the leading run-scorer for Himachal Pradesh in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 329 runs in six matches.

Prashant was also bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 IPL auction.

7. Mandeep Singh | 3238 Runs

Punjab batter Mandeep Singh scored 3238 runs in 91 innings of 101 matches. He scored at an average of 39.01 and a strike rate of 77.93.

He hit 4 centuries and 23 half-centuries for Punjab with a highest score of 119. 

He was the highest run scorer in 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Mandeep was also one of the most consistent run scorers in latest editions of Ranji Trophy.

8. Ganesh Satish | 3210 Runs 

Ganesh Satish, former Karnataka batsman, now representing Vidarbha, scored 3210 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored in 93 innings of 98 matches at an average of 38.67 and a strike rate of 78.88.

He smashed 5 centuries and 21 half-centuries in VHT. His highest score is 140*.

Ganesh became the eighth batsman to aggregate 2000 plus runs in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy.

9. Yashpal Singh | 3193 Runs 

The former Services middle-order batter, Yashpal Singh amassed 3193 runs in 69 innings of 72 matches at an impressive average of 60.24. 

Between 2008-2019, Yashpal represented Manipur, Tripura and Services before plying his trade for Sikkim in the latter half of his career.

He has 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries to his name with highest score of 134*. 

10. Saurabh Tiwary | 3190 Runs

Jharkhand batter Saurabh Tiwary scored 3190 runs in 85 innings of 89 matches at an average of 49.07 and a strike rate of 83.48.

He has 5 centuries and 20 half-centuries to his name with a highest score of 130*.

Tiwary was called into the squad for the 2010 Asia Cup, but did not play. He made his ODI debut against Australia in Visakhapatnam in October 2010 after a few first-choice players were rested.

The year 2025 is going to be exciting for Indian sports fans as it promises an action-packed calendar. This includes world events in hockey, squash, boxing, badminton, shooting and cricket, alongside the National Games and Khelo India competitions. The country is set to witness a wide range of sporting events this year. 

Also Read: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024: Full Winners List

After bidding goodbye to an eventful 2024, an exciting 2025 awaits sports fans as far as India are concerned. India will host several big competitions across sports this year, including the Women’s ODI World Cup and the Para World Athletics Championships.

Apart from hosting competitions, India will also take part in several multi-nation tournaments internationally, including the ICC Champions Trophy which will be held in a hybrid model with matches taking place in Pakistan and UAE.

Also Read: ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 schedule announced

Several Indian athletes and teams, including the likes of Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker, will be in action this year. The India women’s cricket team will hope to end a long wait to possibly clinch the Women’s ODI World Cup.

Here’s the complete list of major sports events in India 2025.

Major sports events in India 2025