Mumbai, March 19: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed an application filed by cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his choreographer wife Dhanashree Verma seeking waiver of the cooling-off period in their ongoing mutual consent divorce proceedings.

A bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar directed the family court to decide the divorce petition on Thursday considering Chahal’s participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). The leg-spinner was picked by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 18 crore in the IPL 2025 auction.

The bench took note of the fact that the parties had been living apart for over two and a half years and had duly complied with the consent terms regarding the payment of alimony arrived at during the mediation process.

Under Hindu law, if the husband and wife have been living separately for one year or more, they may apply to obtain a decree of divorce by mutual consent. However, under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, a statutory cooling-off period of at least 6 months from the date of presentation of the divorce petition is provided, to explore possibilities of settlement and reunion between the couple.

The Supreme Court, in a landmark verdict in 2017, held that the 6-month cooling-off period is not mandatory, and the court may waive the condition if it is satisfied that there exists no possibility of parties resuming cohabitation.

Dhanashree and Chahal got engaged in 2020 and got married in December of the same year in a private ceremony in Gurugram.

The 28-year-old dancer, Dhanashree is known for her fusion dance performances that blend traditional Indian dance forms with contemporary styles. Recently, Chahal was spotted amongst the spectators sitting next to social media star RJ Mahvash during the Champions Trophy Final. However, this was not the first time the two have been linked together. Last year, in December, a picture of RJ Mahvash with the cricketer from a Christmas celebration went viral.

The social media star then took to Instagram to set the record straight. In a note, she wrote: “Some articles and speculations have been circulating around the Internet. It’s literally funny to see how baseless these rumours are. If you get seen with a person of the opposite gender, does that mean you are dating them? I’m sorry, what year is this? And how many people are you all dating then?”

“I have been patient for 2-3 days now, but I won’t let any PR teams drag my name into this to cover up other people’s images. Let people live in peace with their friends and family during tough times.”

Chahal’s IPL journey, spanning over 160 matches, has been nothing short of remarkable. With 205 wickets to his name, he is the leading wicket-taker in IPL history, having surpassed Dwayne Bravo’s record of 183 wickets during the 2023 season. His career average of 22.44 and an economy rate of 7.8 underline his ability to combine wicket-taking prowess with miserly spells, a rare feat in the T20 format.

Chahal’s crowning moment came in 2022 when he donned the Purple Cap for Rajasthan Royals (RR), scalping a phenomenal 27 wickets in the season. During the 2024 edition, Chahal became the first bowler in IPL history to breach the 200-wicket milestone. His IPL tally includes six four-wicket hauls, one five-wicket haul, and a hat-trick. Between 2014 and 2021, Chahal was Royal Challengers Bangalore’s go-to spinner. In 113 matches for the franchise, he scalped 139 wickets, a record that still stands as the highest for any bowler in its colours. Despite his dominance, RCB made the surprising decision not to retain him ahead of the 2022 mega auction. Chahal’s resurgence post-RCB was nothing short of spectacular. Representing RR in the last three seasons, he claimed 66 wickets, underlining his consistent impact.

New Delhi, March 19: Ahead of the start of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gujarat Titans’ skipper Shubman Gill believes the pace of the game has reached a point where a score of 300 is a possibility for a batting team to achieve in the match.

IPL 2024 was a season where batting records touched new highs, like Punjab Kings chasing down 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders or Sunrisers Hyderabad posting the tournament’s highest total of 287/3 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as well as making 125/0, the highest-ever power-play score in the competition against Delhi Capitals.

“The pace of the game has reached a point where it feels like we could score 300 in a match. Last year, we came very close on a few occasions. The Impact Player rule adds excitement and makes the IPL even more entertaining. One of the best aspects of the IPL is that every day, a new player emerges as a star.

“You constantly witness underrated talents delivering exceptional performances. The tournament’s structure, with frequent matches and travel, keeps players engaged. If you’re winning, the momentum carries you forward, with three, four, or even five consecutive victories. However, injuries can make things difficult.

“When one or two key players are injured, finding suitable replacements becomes a challenge. Despite these hurdles, IPL remains the most thrilling cricketing event, and every season brings something new for players and fans alike,” said Gill to JioHotstar.

Gill, who was the vice-captain in India’s 2025 Champions Trophy triumph, recalled his early memories of watching the IPL and his admiration for and meeting with Sachin Tendulkar, who played for the Mumbai Indians.

“I remember attending three to four matches with my father at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula. In the second or third year of the IPL, Mumbai Indians came there for practice. I was around nine or ten years old at the time. I even have a photo with Sachin Sir and Glenn Maxwell.

“I was throwing balls to them during their practice. These are some of my earliest memories of the IPL. I was extremely nervous, but I already knew about Sachin Sir. He was the reason I started playing cricket. My father is his biggest fan. Though my dad never had much interest in posters, we had Sachin’s posters in our village.”

GT will open their campaign against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and Gill talked about the strengths of his team, who won the IPL in their competition debut in 2022.

“We have a strong fast-bowling attack. Rashid has been with us, and we have explosive batters like Rutherford, Philips, and Butler. Some talented Indian players like Mahipal and Sai add depth to our squad. The key to success in a long tournament like the IPL is maintaining balance.

“Losing two or three matches in a row isn’t a major concern if you are playing the right way and making smart decisions. Consistency in team selection and strategy is important. The more you play based on probability and logic, the better your chances of qualifying.

“Once you reach the knockout stage, being aggressive and positive is crucial. In all the qualifiers and finals I’ve played, I’ve seen that teams with the right intent have the best chance of winning,” he concluded.

Mumbai, March 19: India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav will be captaining Mumbai Indians in their first IPL 2025 game against Chennai Super Kings on March 23, confirmed regular captain Hardik Pandya.

Pandya will be unavailable for MI’s season opener due to a one-match ban he received after the side recorded a slow over-rate in their IPL 2024 final league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which was also his third offence of the season.

Suryakumar had captained MI in one IPL match, way back in 2023. “Suryakumar Yadav leads India as well. He will lead Mumbai Indians in the first match of IPL 2025. I am lucky that I have three captains playing with me – Rohit, Surya and Bumrah. They always place an arm around my shoulder and are there when I need any help,” said Pandya in the pre-season press conference, which he attended alongside head coach Mahela Jayawardene on Wednesday.

Talking about the MI-CSK clash, Jayawardene said, “It’s a challenge for both teams. I have always enjoyed the battle, looking forward to it. There is a little more adrenaline for the team as well.”

MI are also without their fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who is recuperating from a back injury suffered during the Sydney Test in March. Jayawardene said Bumrah is still undergoing rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. “He is still at the NCA and is being monitored on a day-to-day basis. He is recovering and is in good spirits; hopefully, he can join the team sooner.”

MI finished at the bottom of the points table last year, and Pandya stated the side is aiming to do their things right in every aspect in IPL 2025. “Just play good cricket. Being with each other at the same point in time. Doing the processes right. Go and execute. With this group, considering the talent, we will look ahead to enjoy the games.”

“This year is a fresh year. A lot of things have changed; a lot of love and joy have been added. There will always be passion and new challenges that I love. The crucial part for me is to help the team to add value to the team. I am here!” added Pandya.

Both Pandya and Jayawardene signed off by saying getting Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult on board was extremely important for the five-time champions. “Getting Trent Boult was very important to us. Deepak Chahar too. We wanted an experienced bowling lineup so that when the pressure comes we have players who have felt it before,” said Pandya.

“Last season, threw us some challenges. But it’s been a big auction with that we have a fresh canvas. With our core team and the new group of guys, including the returning Trent Boult. We want to put the puzzle together and have a good start!” added Jayawardene.