Exploring The Personal Side: Divorces Among Indian Cricketers

Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic have officially ended their marriage after four years. They confirmed their divorce through a joint statement on social media on Thursday, July 18.

The couple had been living separately for some time and have now formally dissolved their marital relationship. Their son, Agastya, will remain an integral part of both their lives.

Natasa's actions on social media, such as removing Pandya from her name and deleting photos, did not go unnoticed. Her absence during IPL 2024 further fueled speculation among fans. Unfortunately, the rumours turned out to be true.

However, Hardik is not the only Indian cricketer to experience a divorce. Several other cricket stars from India have also gone through marital separations over the years.

Dinesh Karthik's divorce is one of the most talked-about among Indian cricketers. He married his childhood friend Nikita Vanjara in 2012. Their marriage ended due to Nikita's affair with Dinesh's teammate, Murali Vijay. After their divorce, Dinesh married squash player Dipika Pallikal in 2015. They have twin boys named Kabir and Zian.

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan met Aesha Mukherjee on Facebook, and they tied the knot in 2012. It was Aesha's second marriage but Shikhar's first. They share a son named Zoraver. Aesha lived in Australia with Zoraver, leading to Shikhar feeling separated from his son. In 2023, a Delhi Court granted him a divorce on grounds of mental cruelty by Aesha.

Vinod Kambli

Vinod Kambli first married his childhood friend Noella Lewis but they divorced in 2005. He then married model Andrea Hewitt and converted to Christianity. They have two sons and a daughter together. Despite media attention on his personal life, Vinod has kept a low profile since then.

Mohammad Azharuddin

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has had a controversial personal life. He divorced his first wife Naureen in 1996 and married actress Sangeeta Bijlani. This marriage also ended after 14 years. Azharuddin had two sons with Naureen; Mohammad Ayazuddin died in a road accident in 2011 while elder son Mohammad Asaduddin married Anam Mirza, sister of tennis star Sania Mirza.

Mohammad Shami

In 2018, Hasin Jahan accused her estranged husband Mohammad Shami of domestic abuse and adultery. Shami denied these allegations, calling them a conspiracy. The couple separated that year and their legal battle continues. They share a daughter together.

Yograj Singh

Yuvraj Singh's father Yograj Singh first married Shabnam Kaur and they had two sons together. After separating from Shabnam, Yograj married Satbir Kaur and they have a son and a daughter together. It is believed that Shabnam's desire for a career was not supported by Yograj, leading to their separation.

Javagal Srinath

Former India pacer Javagal Srinath married Jyothsna in 1999 but the marriage did not last long. He later married journalist Madhavi Patravali in 2008 without any major controversy surrounding his separation from Jyothsna.

The lives of these cricketers show that even public figures face personal challenges like anyone else.