New Delhi, September 2: The name Shahrukh Khan often brings to mind the renowned Bollywood actor of the same name. However, the Tamil Nadu cricketer Shahrukh Khan has a different celebrity on his wish list.
Recently, Shahrukh Khan played a pivotal role in leading the Kovai Kings to their third Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) title. He shared that he has yet to meet the Bollywood superstar, after whom he was named.
If given the chance to meet a Bollywood star, he would prefer to meet Salman Khan instead. The cricketer stated that Salman is his favorite actor, and meeting him tops his wish list.
In a special interview, the 29-year-old cricketer said, “I really want to meet Salman Khan more than Shahrukh Khan.” Throughout his IPL career, especially during matches against the Kolkata Knight Riders, he had several opportunities to meet his namesake. Unfortunately, these chances never materialized as the Bollywood star was not present at the matches.
He mentioned, “I have not met Shahrukh Khan yet. However, I hope to meet him soon. We have played many matches against Kolkata Knight Riders, but I missed the chance to meet him since he was not there for the matches. If he had been there, I would have definitely met him. But you know, I really want to meet Salman Khan more than Shahrukh Khan.”
Meeting Shahrukh Khan could be particularly interesting for the cricketer. Since he was born after the Bollywood star, he is curious about how the superstar will react when they finally meet.
He added, “No, I will wait for his reaction first, as I was born after him. That’s why I was named after him. I’ve heard that his sense of humor is quite unique. Obviously, Varun Chakravarthy, who is a good friend of mine, has said that he is a very nice person at heart. I am looking forward to seeing what his sense of humor is like. I am very excited to meet him.”
Despite often being compared to the Bollywood star, Shahrukh has carved out his own identity in Tamil Nadu cricket over the past few years.
He has been a part of the state’s cricket circuit for nearly two decades and has emerged as one of Tamil Nadu’s leading white-ball players. His impressive performances have propelled him to the IPL, where he has showcased his talent for several franchises. Currently, Shahrukh is part of the Gujarat Titans dressing room.
His latest achievement was in the TNPL, where he helped the Kovai Kings clinch the championship for the third time. The team defeated Madurai Panthers by 84 runs in the final, making them the second team in the tournament’s history to win three titles. Shahrukh views the TNPL as more than just personal accolades; he believes it is a vital platform for young cricketers in Tamil Nadu, having already helped many players reach the IPL and higher levels of domestic cricket.
He remarked, “Yes, TNPL has been a platform for many players from Tamil Nadu, including me, Natarajan, and Varun Chakravarthy. The growth of this tournament over the past few years has been tremendous. Not just TNPL, but other leagues in India as well. However, TNPL was the first domestic tournament for state-level T20, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”
He further added, “Every year, new talent emerges. I hope that this year, IPL scouts will spot some talent and select them, so that the tournament can grow even bigger next year.” Shahrukh’s performance in IPL 2026 with the Gujarat Titans was not particularly noteworthy, leading to his exclusion from the playing eleven mid-season. He explained that he used this break to address a technical flaw in his batting and returned to the TNPL with renewed confidence.
He stated, “I had a technical flaw in my batting. For the past 7-8 months, this flaw had been significantly hindering my performance. After returning from the IPL, I worked on it. My front foot was crossing too much, which I had never done before. Yes, I had a few months in between where I could focus on my technique and improve it as much as possible.”
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