Conspiracy-seekers are seeing more into the fact that Huma Qureshi will not be the face of Sohail Khan’s team Maratha Arabians in the T10 Cricket League to be held in Sharjah. In the past, Huma had been brand ambassador of the team co-owned by Sohail along with Parvez Khan and Ali Tumbi. And, according to the rumour mills, she had been a lot more than that… Her closeness to the Khan family – and Sohail in particular – was there to see. A regular at all the Khan family’s parties, she had even reportedly moved into the same building in which Sohail lived. Matters reached a head when Sohail’s wife of 19 years, Seema, moved out of her marital home to live with her parents. That’s when it had become clear that there was indeed trouble in this couple’s paradise.

This was a wake-up call for Sohail who went all out to repair the damage. He apparently cut ties with Huma as he tried to woo his wife back into the marriage and their home. A suitably placated Seema then put the past behind her, rubbishing rumours about the issues. Huma also took to Twitter to vent, “Getting linked to somebody you consider your brother is a bit much, I feel. It’s really sad.”

Life returned to normal post that nasty hiccup, but apparently the fear of a repetition of this scenario is still alive in the Khan family. Word goes that it is Salman who put his foot down and declared that Huma would not be signed on as the face of Sohail’s team. Sohail is resorting to a safe excuse to explain her absence, saying that unfortunately, Huma cannot be a part of this season, because they don't have her dates. He also adds that they cannot afford a lot of brand ambassadors, either. Something of a contradiction that, given that they have signed Kriti Sanon, no less and also Taapsee Pannu! But we’re happy to play along – we don’t like long-standing marriages running the risk of getting wrecked, either.