JOIN USCricket, especially the Indian Premier League (IPL), is an incredible part of the lives of South African cricketer David Wiese and his beautiful wife Chene Smith. David Wiese is a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during this season of the IPL.
After dating each other for 8 years, David and Chene tied the knot on April 11 last year and the couple immediately had to set out on the IPL tour. This year, the couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary in Bengaluru. “We know that we are now going to be celebrating our wedding anniversary every year during the IPL in India, making the occasion very special for us. This year, we settled down to a quiet lantern dinner on our anniversary and David gifted me 2 saris,” says Chene in an excited tone.
The couple make it a point to explore the city they’re in whenever an IPL match is played. Their exploration has given them an insight into the culture, food habits, language and shopping options in different parts of the country. “This year, we made it a point to watch the ‘Jungle Book’ as soon as it released and we also want to watch a Bollywood movie. We watched the trailer of Shah Rukh Khan’s latest movie ‘Fan’ and found it pretty interesting,” says Chene. David pitches in saying, “The trailer of ‘Fan’ looked a lot like that of a Hollywood movie. I’ve never watched a Bollywood film and I can’t wait to watch one this time. I usually don’t like to watch Bollywood movies that have subtitles because it takes away the charm of trying to understand the movie.” He says he likes the colour, exaggerated actions and dance moves in Bollywood films.
David and Chene focussed on their respective careers before cricket became a big part of their lives. David holds a bachelor’s degree in internal auditing, while Chene completed a degree in public relations and also pursued her passion for dance on the side. David shares, “I always thought internal auditing was a bit 'nerdy' but nevertheless, I enjoyed studying the subject.” So how did cricket happen? “I’ve always played some kind of sport, be it cricket, table tennis, golf or hockey, but I could never get myself to play football because I found it a bit too boring,” says David.
The couple love food and don’t shy away from experimenting with all kinds of cuisines. “I recently learnt how to cook and I experiment with making variations of ‘pasta’, ‘steamed chicken’ and include plenty of salads in our diet,” says Chene. David confesses that he can’t resist sweets and chocolates, “I love food and eat whatever I want but I make sure to spend a few extra hours at the gym to burn it all off,” he adds.
This IPL is special for Chene because she has choreographed the dance moves for the RCB’s promotional song and anthem. Being a dancer herself, Chene says that she was excited when she was given the chance to choreograph for the song. “It was meant to be a fun thing to do. I’ve put together some basic dance moves in funk, free-style and of course the champion’s move for the anthem.”
Chene has no complaints when it comes to David’s hectic work schedule. “She is not only an encouraging spouse but travels with me to make sure that she is around for whatever I may require. She’s a great support system,” says David. Ask the couple the secret behind their strong bond? And they reply in unison, “It’s openness and complete trust in each other.”