Hardik Pandya And Natasa Stankovic's Potential Divorce Sheds Light On Indian Cricketers' Marital Issues

Hardik Pandya is currently at the centre of speculation. According to various reports, Pandya's marriage with his wife Natasa Stankovic has taken a troubling turn. In India, cricket is more than just a sport; it is a way of life. Fans idolise their cricketing heroes, but personal issues sometimes make headlines.

Reports suggest that the couple has been living separately and may be heading towards a divorce. Pandya, who married Stankovic in 2020, is rumoured to be experiencing marital discord for unspecified reasons.

Natasa's social media activities have not gone unnoticed. She removed Pandya from her name and deleted photos of them together. Her absence from the IPL 2024 further fuelled public curiosity.

Although this is a personal matter, if Hardik and Natasa separate, it would not be the first instance among Indian cricket stars. Here are some Indian cricketers who have experienced divorces in their marriages.

Dinesh Karthik's divorce is perhaps the most controversial among Indian cricketers. He married his childhood friend Nikita Vanjara in 2012. Their marriage ended due to Nikita's affair with Dinesh's teammate, former India batter Murali Vijay. Dinesh and Nikita divorced, and in 2015, Dinesh married squash player Dipika Pallikal. They have twin boys, Kabir and Zian.

Shikhar Dhawan met Aesha Mukherjee on Facebook, and they married in 2012. It was Aesha's second marriage, while Shikhar's first. They have a son named Zoraver. Aesha lived in Australia with Zoraver, leading to Shikhar's complaints about being kept apart. In 2023, a Delhi Court granted him a divorce on grounds of mental cruelty by Aesha.

Vinod Kambli

Vinod Kambli first married childhood friend Noella Lewis. They divorced in 2005. Vinod then married model Andrea Hewitt, converting to Christianity. They have two sons and a daughter. Vinod's personal life caught media attention but he's kept a low profile since.

Mohammad Azharuddin

Former captain Mohammad Azharuddin's life has been controversial. He divorced his first wife Naureen in 1996, marrying actress Sangeeta Bijlani. This marriage also ended after 14 years.

He had two sons with his first wife. Mohammad Ayazuddin died in a road accident in 2011, while elder son Mohammad Asaduddin married Anam Mirza, the sister of former tennis star Sania Mirza, in 2019.

Mohammad Shami

In 2018, Hasin Jahan, Mohammad Shami's estranged wife, accused him of domestic abuse and adultery. Shami denied these allegations, calling them a conspiracy. The couple separated in 2018 and their legal battle continues. They have a daughter together.

Yograj Singh

Yuvraj Singh's father, Yograj Singh married Shabnam Kaur and the couple together had two sons. Their elder son Yuvraj Singh went on to become a famous Indian cricketer. However, the two parted ways and Yograj Singh married Satbir Kaur. He has a son and a daughter from his second marriage.

It is heard that Shabnam Kaur wanted to build her own career and the idea was not supported by Yogaraj. Yuvraj Singh opted to stay with his mother but started his cricket training under his father.

Javagal Srinath

The former India pacer married his first wife Jyothsna in 1999. However, the marriage failed and he later married journalist Madhavi Patravali in 2008. There was no such controversy during the pacer's separation though.

The personal lives of cricketers often draw public interest due to their celebrity status. While these matters are private, they inevitably become part of public discourse given the stature of these individuals in Indian society.