The latest episode of Sunday Brunch wasn’t just about kebabs, nostalgia, and sibling madness. Sitting down with Kamiya Jani at Mumbai’s legendary Bade Miyan, siblings Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem spent the episode doing what they do best: pulling each other’s legs, interrupting each other’s stories, and casually dropping revelations that nobody saw coming. One such revelation was that, long before Bollywood found Saqib Saleem, cricket almost did.
Saqib Saleem’s Childhood Obsession With Sachin Tendulkar
It started as a conversation about cricket fandom and rapidly turned into a trip down memory lane. When Kamiya Jani, our editor-in-chief, asked him to pick between Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli, Saqib Saleem flatly refused. Picking one, according to him, is impossible.
But if there was one player who had him completely obsessed as a child, it was Sachin. “I was a Sachin paglu,” Saqib admitted with a laugh. And not in the casual fan sense. He recalled getting so emotionally invested in Tendulkar’s innings that if Sachin got out early, his mood would crash. “I would start shivering and all. I have literally been taken to a doctor and stuff,” he revealed.
Then came the Dhoni era! As a young wicketkeeper, Saqib Saleem naturally gravitated towards the long-haired Jharkhand cricketer who had suddenly become India’s newest sensation. Dhoni wasn’t just another star player; he represented exactly what Saqib Saleem wanted to be on the field.
But the most fascinating part of the conversation hit when he spoke about Virat Kohli.
Also Read: Huma Qureshi Had A Trick To Get Saqib Beaten By Their Dad
The Delhi Trials, Where He Met Virat Kohli & Ishant Sharma
The actor revealed that he and Virat Kohli had appeared for Delhi’s Under-17 and Under-19 trials together. They were teenagers then, but even among aspiring cricketers, Virat and fellow Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma already carried a reputation.
“There were whispers going around,” Saqib Saleem recalled. “Cheeku’s coming and Lambu’s coming.”
For those unfamiliar with Delhi cricket folklore, “Cheeku” was Virat Kohli and “Lambu” was Ishant Sharma.
He still remembers standing with a handful of other boys at the trials, watching the two future Indian stars. Ishant would charge in to bowl at a frightening pace. Virat Kohli would respond by smashing deliveries so cleanly that, according to Saqib Saleem, they couldn’t even see the ball. All they could hear was the crack of the bat.
The actor went on to play Under-19 cricket for Delhi and later represented Jammu & Kashmir at the same level before returning and captaining his college side. Yet that trial remains etched in his memory, not because he shared a field with future superstars but because it gave him a front-row seat to greatness before the rest of the country knew their names.
Also Read: Saqib Saleem Reveals Huma Qureshi Was The “Laadli Beti,” Reveals Perks She Had At Home
Watch the full Sunday Brunch episode on the Curly Tales App or the Curly Tales YouTube Channel.
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FAQs
Did Saqib Saleem play cricket professionally?
Saqib Saleem played Under-19 cricket for Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir and was actively pursuing cricket before entering the entertainment industry.
What did Saqib Saleem say about Virat Kohli?
Saqib revealed that he appeared for Delhi's Under-17 and Under-19 trials alongside Virat Kohli and remembered witnessing his exceptional batting talent firsthand.
Where did Saqib Saleem share this story?
He shared the anecdote during his appearance on Sunday Brunch with Kamiya Jani alongside his sister, Huma Qureshi.