[Pictures] From Hardik Pandya to Dinesh Karthik, how cricketers are celebrating Valentine’s Day

Indian cricketers like Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik, among others, are celebrating Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on February 14 annually with the theme of love and romance.

Valentine's week begins with Rose Day and commemorates on the aforementioned day. On this special occasion, couples display affection for their partners. Here's how cricketers shared their love for their better-halves on social media:

Hardik shared a picture with his wife Natasa Stankovic and his son Agastya on Instagram and wrote:

"Happy Valentine's Day."

Similarly, Dinesh Karthik shared a picture with his wife Deepika Palikkal. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

"Being a keeper is my job on the field...but she's the keeper of my happiness!"

Here’s how other reactions from cricketers on Valentine’s Day:

Ajinkya Rahane reposted a post from his wife Radhika Dhopavkar as his Instagram story:

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"Look they have always thought about the future" - Sunil Gavaskar on Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians captain

Hardik Pandya's lady luck has shone on him over the last two IPL seasons, where he guided Gujarat Titans to consecutive finals, including winning the trophy in their inaugural season. The star all-rounder will now look to guide Mumbai Indians to their record sixth IPL trophy after replacing five-time IPL-winning skipper Rohit Sharma as the team's leader.

On the development, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has backed the Mumbai-based franchise on their decision. The 74-year-old pointed out that Rohit is already burdened by leading India across formats. The cricketer-turned-commentator recently told Star Sports:

"Look they have always thought about the future of the franchise. Rohit Sharma is already 36 years old and also faces immense pressure being the captain of India for all three formats."

He added:

"They have tried to reduce some of that burden and give that responsibility on the young shoulders of Hardik Pandya."

The much-awaited IPL 2024 is likely to start in the last week of March.