BCCI Naman Awards 2025: A special discussion in “Life Beyond the Boundary”

At a star-studded event in Mumbai, cricketing icons Rohit Sharma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Hardik Pandya engaged in an exciting and playful conversation during the session titled Life Beyond the Boundary, hosted by Harsha Bhogle. The segment offered a rare glimpse into the personal lives and candid moments of these cricketers, allowing the audience to connect with them beyond the boundary lines.

The session kicked off with a light-hearted discussion about Mumbai’s infamous traffic. Hardik Pandya, sharing his personal experience, humorously described how navigating Mumbai’s congestion could turn frustrating, especially when you’re stuck in it for hours. However, he admitted that sometimes, instead of getting angry, it’s just about finding ways to pass the time while sitting in traffic. Hardik’s candid and relatable take on this everyday challenge resonated with the audience, as many could relate to the stress of Mumbai’s never-ending traffic jams.

The conversation soon veered into more personal territory, with Jemimah Rodrigues asking Hardik what he found more difficult: changing diapers or bowling a death over. Hardik, as a father, didn’t hesitate in admitting that changing diapers was far more challenging than bowling, as it was a new experience for him, unlike cricket, which he had been practising his whole life. This brought a humorous and relatable twist to the conversation, allowing the audience to see Hardik in a more personal light.

Smriti Mandhana was next in the spotlight, with Harsha Bhogle asking her about her sense of fashion. While Smriti humbly downplayed her style icon status, she revealed that she preferred simple, comfortable clothes like jeans and tops, which was a stark contrast to the glamorous outfits expected at events. She playfully mentioned how, despite being a cricketer, some teammates needed a little more style advice, without naming anyone directly.

The banter continued as Smriti shared her music preferences, admitting she was more inclined toward slow and romantic songs, like those by Arijit Singh, instead of the upbeat Punjabi tracks that dominated the team’s playlist. She also confessed that she preferred listening to music through headphones to avoid annoying the rest of the team with her song choices.

In another moment of fun, Rohit Sharma was asked about his daughter, Samaira, and whether she had taken an interest in cricket. Rohit shared that he and his daughter enjoyed playing cricket together at home, but it was just for fun. He also revealed how his daughter loved batting, much like any budding cricketer, but emphasized that it was all about having fun rather than seriously pursuing the sport at such a young age.

The discussion also touched on their favourite travel destinations, with Smriti sharing her love for mountains over beaches. She mentioned how she enjoyed her recent trip to Austria and looked forward to more getaways whenever possible. The session ended with a final question to Rohit about his go-to Mumbai street food. He shared his fondness for popular snacks like pav bhaji, bhel puri, and panipuri, a true reflection of his love for the city’s culinary offerings.

In the final act, Jemimah Rodrigues sang a song for her parents as well.