Before India's tour of England this winter, opener Shikhar Dhawan was in the MCG nets facing throw-downs from Victorian coaches Greg Shipperd and Simon Helmot. Residents of Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs are half a chance to spot him shopping at Fountain Gate but most are probably oblivious to the fact a superstar Indian cricketer is living in their midst.

Chris Rogers is not the only adopted Victorian getting ready for the Boxing Day Test, because Dhawan – the 29-year-old batsman with the theatrical moustache, tattooed biceps and swashbuckling strokeplay – has two homes. One is in Delhi, the other in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, where he lives with his wife Aesha and their family when he is not on tour with the Indian team or playing in the Indian Premier League.

Shikhar Dhawan Credit:Getty Images

Aesha has British and Bengali heritage but was living in Australia with her two daughters when she and Dhawan were introduced on Facebook. She is a former amateur boxer whose interest in cricket has been known to extend to having him throw balls to her after play in domestic Ranji Trophy games in India. They married in 2012 and have a son, Zoravar, who turns one in January.

Dhawan, of course, is known to Australians for his startling 187 against them in Mohali during the 2013 tour from hell. His 85-ball hundred was the fastest on debut since the balls-faced category was recorded and all the more memorable for the sheer audacity of the shots he played.