Money does not guarantee happiness. It only makes life better for people who have their close ones by their side through ups and downs. While many Indian cricketers have found true love and lived happily after marriage, others have not been as lucky.
The life of a cricketer, or any sportsperson in general, isn’t easy. Indian cricketers spend the majority of the year trotting the globe, fulfilling national commitments. They not only have a busy schedule with the Indian team but also have to represent their franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Wives of cricketers have to be mentally prepared to live far from their husbands. They have to run the family throughout the year while waiting for the few yet special moments they get to spend with their partners.
While some cricketers’ marriages have stood the test of time, there are some which have collapsed. CricTracker looks at three popular Indian cricketers who had to part ways with their better halves.
Top 3 Indian cricketers who paid the highest alimony after divorce
3. Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan and Ayesha Mukherjee were introduced to each other on Facebook, with the former sending a friend request. Ayesha had two children from her previous marriage – Aliyah and Rhea. She is also 10 years older to Dhawan. The Indian opener’s father was against the marriage, but his mother had a positive outlook towards their union. The couple eventually tied the knot on October 30, 2012, three years after their engagement.
Ayesha attended many matches when Dhawan was actively playing for India. On December 26, 2014, the couple welcomed their first child, Zoravar, into the family. However, in October 2023, they got divorced. A Delhi court that granted the divorce noted that the southpaw had endured mental distress due to his ex-wife, who had kept him separated from his only son for years. However, the former India skipper was unable to secure permanent custody of Zoravar. Ayesha demanded a significant share of his former husband’s properties in India and Australia as a divorce settlement.
2. Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya and Natasha Stankovic met each other in 2018 in a nightclub in Mumbai. After dating each other for two years, they decided to get engaged. In May 2020, they tied the knot in what was an intimate affair during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months later, they welcomed their son, Agastya. In 2023, the couple had a grand wedding in Udaipur which was attended by their close friends and family.
However, things went downhill soon after this event. After months of speculation about trouble in the relationship, Pandya and Stankovic broke the silence on July 18, 2024. They took to their social media handles and confirmed that they had parted ways. The news was announced one day after Stankovic left for Serbia with Agastya. The former couple also shared that they will be cordial for co-parenting Agastya, who was just four years old back then. Some reports stated that Stankovic could demand as high as 70 per cent of her ex-husband’s total net worth in alimony. However, there is no official confirmation on this as yet.
1. Yuzvendra Chahal
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yuzvendra Chahal started learning dance from Dhanashree Verma through online classes. After initially showing reluctance, Dhanashree eventually agreed to marry Chahal after meeting him in person. They took their wedding vows on December 22, 2020 in Gurgaon. Both of them looked happy with each other’s company, often sharing reels where they would dance together to some romantic and foot-tapping numbers.
However, on March 20, 2025, the Mumbai family court granted their divorce. According to reports, the cricketer will pay an alimony of INR 4.75 crore, and INR 2.37 crore has already been paid. Chahal will look to put his personal misfortune aside and focus on doing well for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Meanwhile, Dhanashree recently dropped her latest music video, ‘Dekha Ji Dekha Maine’, in the same week as her divorce, and it has already garnered over 45 lakh views on YouTube.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this news article is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and perspective. Readers are encouraged to evaluate the details thoughtfully and draw their own conclusions.
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