Suniel Shetty Recalls Cricket Obsession, Says He Has Followed Rohit Sharma Since His Teen Years

Mumbai, September 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

Actor Suniel Shetty has recalled his lifelong passion for cricket and revealed that he has followed Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma since the latter was around 16 or 17 years old.

During his appearance on Family Full House with Rohit Sharma, the Hera Pheri actor spoke about his love for the sport, recalling a time when cricket matches were not widely available on television. He said he would visit the Indo-American Society to watch footage and clippings of fast bowlers.

“Main kitna bada cricket buff hoon woh duniya jaanti hai. Shayad jitna inhone cricket nahi khela hoga, utna maine khayalon mein khela hai,” Shetty said, describing how much cricket he had played in his imagination.

Shetty also revealed that West Indies great Sir Viv Richards has always been his favourite cricketer and said he began following Rohit when the Mumbai batter was still a teenager.

He recalled how Rohit was often discussed by his mentor Dr PV Shetty and how he would go to watch the young cricketer play.

Shetty also drew a comparison between Rohit and Richards, saying Rohit reminded him of the legendary West Indies batter because of his “swag”, describing Richards as having “Caribbean swag” and Rohit as having a similar “desi swag”.

Rohit, meanwhile, recalled meeting Shetty when he was around 16 and playing for Indian Oil at a ground in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex. He said he was padded up and waiting to bat when he learnt that the actor was expected to attend the match.

Rohit said he initially wondered why Shetty would come to watch the game, but later realised the depth of the actor’s passion for cricket.

He also recalled Shetty sitting with Dr PV Shetty, who was Rohit’s mentor during his younger years. According to Rohit, his mentor told him that he should meet Shetty because of the actor’s love for cricket.

Rohit said he was watching Shetty from the side and noticed that the actor was completely engrossed in the match, paying attention to the quality of the shots being played.

Shetty also revealed that he had played Under-19 cricket, adding another dimension to his longstanding association with the sport.

Family Full House with Rohit Sharma airs every Saturday and Sunday on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.