<p>Actress Anushka Sharma lauded her husband and India cricket captain Virat Kohli for stopping Indian fans from booing former Australia captain Steve Smith during their World Cup match in London on Sunday.</p>
<p>"Aggressive player, benevolent man - so easy to love," Anushka posted on her Instagram story, along with a news snippet of Virat's act.</p>
<p>Smith was constantly booed by Indian fans during the World Cup fixture between India and Australia at the Kennington Oval which the Indian team won by 36 runs.</p>
<p>Smith, who was the captain when the Australian ball-tampering controversy took place last year, was first booed, with chants of "cheater, cheater", making the rounds while he was fielding at third man during the Indian innings. All-rounder Hardik Pandya had just been dismissed, and the crowd tried to get under Smith's skin with the chants.</p>
<p>Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who was batting at the time, looked up towards that section of the stadium and gestured them not to do so. He instead made a "clap" gesture and pointed towards Smith. He also did the same when Smith walked past, with both players shaking hands.</p>
<p>Commenting on it in a post-match press conference, Kohli expressed sympathy for Smith and apologised on behalf of the Indian crowd.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">&ldquo;If I was in a position where something had happened with me, and I&rsquo;d apologised and accepted it, and came back and still I would get booed, I wouldn&rsquo;t like it either.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> on why he asked the fans to stop booing Steve Smith. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/CIMicjoSA0">pic.twitter.com/CIMicjoSA0</a></p>
&mdash; Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1137806982235267073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<p>"Just because there are so many Indian fans here, I just didn't want them to set a bad example, to be honest, because he didn't do anything to be booed, in my opinion," Kohli said.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A true icon. Well done captain! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldCup2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldCup2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/IroCQ4blHJ">pic.twitter.com/IroCQ4blHJ</a></p>
&mdash; Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ayushmannk/status/1137908519728926720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<p>Apart from Anushka, actor Ayushmann Khurrana was also impressed by Kohli's on-field gesture.</p>
<p>"A true icon. Well done captain," he tweeted.</p>
<p>Many other prominent personalities took to Twitter to laud the Indian captain. Here are a few tweets:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wow. How good is this from Virat Kohli? Steve Smith is sent to field on the boundary, and immediately cops the most hideous boos from the Indian fans. So Kohli turns to that stand and gestures for them to clap Smith. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/GBTPaolOXh">pic.twitter.com/GBTPaolOXh</a></p>
&mdash; Sam Landsberger u00f0u009fu0097u00af (@SamLandsberger) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamLandsberger/status/1137705284930080768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Virat Kohli's asking the Indians in the Oval to applaud Steve Smith is such a great gesture. I have seen many amazing cricketers over the years. Rarely seen someone change his game and his attitude so much over a decade. He is an absolute inspiration!</p>
&mdash; Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) <a href="https://twitter.com/joybhattacharj/status/1137776398049792001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is what leadership &amp; sportsmanship looks like: Indian captain <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> tells Indian fans to applaud Steve Smith rather than boo him <a href="https://t.co/cBZpjJZppJ">pic.twitter.com/cBZpjJZppJ</a></p>
&mdash; Justin Stevens (@_JustinStevens_) <a href="https://twitter.com/_JustinStevens_/status/1137904596934832129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Great sportsmanship earlier by Virat Kohli which was appreciated by Steve Smith - telling the Indian fans to stop booing Smith when he was fielding on the boundary <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/fehhWKD0fn">pic.twitter.com/fehhWKD0fn</a></p>
&mdash; Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1137748564644376576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> in PC on crowd booing Steve Smith: &ldquo;He has apologised, and come back. He has been down. It is not okay to boo &amp; didn&rsquo;t want Indian crowd to set a bad example. He doesn&rsquo;t deserve to be booed. So I apologised to him on behalf of the crowd.&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvAus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvAus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvsAus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvsAus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a></p>
&mdash; Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) <a href="https://twitter.com/chetannarula/status/1137788891887546368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good on you Virat Kohli - India's Virat Kohli praised for defending Steve Smith from crowds <a href="https://t.co/k2ysd98C3P">https://t.co/k2ysd98C3P</a></p>
&mdash; Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmarAbdullah/status/1137973838149488640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good to watch <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> ask the Indian crowd to applaud Steve Smith. Super stuff from the Indian skipper! <a href="https://t.co/j4mjAYHSpE">https://t.co/j4mjAYHSpE</a></p>
&mdash; Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/sardesairajdeep/status/1137773584963776517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Virat Kohli's big hearted gesture towards Steve Smith who was being booed by the Indian crowds is sportsmanship at it's highest and must be applauded by all whether you like or dislike the man or the cricketer.</p>
&mdash; Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrAMSinghvi/status/1137958827746217984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<p><em><strong>Catch up on all the latest <a title="sports news" href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff0000;">sports news</span></a> and updates here. </strong><strong>Also download the new mid-day <span style="color: #ff0000;"><a title="mid-day android app " href="https://goo.gl/8Xlcvr" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff0000;">Android</span></a></span> and <span style="color: #ff0000;"><a title="mid-day iOS app" href="https://goo.gl/KQziH4" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff0000;">iOS</span></a></span> apps to get latest updates</strong></em></p>

"Aggressive player, benevolent man - so easy to love," Anushka posted on her Instagram story, along with a news snippet of Virat's act

Virat Kohli's wife Anushka applauds 'easy to love' gesture

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Sports / Cricket / Article / Virat Kohli's wife Anushka applauds 'easy to love' gesture

Virat Kohli's wife Anushka applauds 'easy to love' gesture

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast