Shikhar Dhawan's relationship news with Sophie Shine sparks 'Gabbar' memes

Ever since former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan confirmed his relationship with Sophie Shine – an Irish product consultant – the announcement has sent fans into a frenzy, with netizens using hashtags like "Gabbar is back". This is Dhawan's first ever confirmed relationship after his divorce from his ex-wife Aesha Mukherji in 2023.

Reportedly, Dhawan and Shine first crossed paths during a cricket match in Dubai. While their initial interactions were kept private, their bond is said to have strengthened over time. The two have since been seen together frequently at public events, particularly at sporting venues, fuelling speculation and curiosity among fans about the nature of their relationship.

The couple’s photograph went viral on social media (Instagram) on Thursday, sparking curiosity among people. Is this him making things official?

Shikhar Dhawan made a public confirmation after captioning the Instagram post as "My Love" with a red-heart emoji.

Why is Shikhar Dhawan Called Gabbar?

During his illustrious career that spanned over a decade, Dhawan has played some truly fascinating innings that have made his special nickname 'Gabbar' famous across the cricketing circuit. In a conversation with SportsTak, Dhawan revealed the story behind how he came to be known globally as 'Gabbar'.

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"I was playing in the Ranji Trophy and was sitting at silly point. When the other team has a big partnership then the players tend to get down. When I was sitting, I used to shout, 'Bahut yaarana hai suar ke bacchon' and everyone used to burst out laughing. Our coach (Vijay) kept my name Gabbar from there only. From there, the name became so famous that cricket fans all over the world now call me Gabbar only," he had said.