Bombay HC asks family court to fast track Chahal-Dhanashree divorce before IPL 2025: Reports

As per Bar and Bench, the Bombay High Court has accepted Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife Dhanashree Verma's plea to waive off the cooling period and make a decision on their divorce petition on Thursday, March 20. The court decided the same as Chahal is set to participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), starting March 22, and could be unavailable for future hearings.

Chahal and Verma got married in December 2020 and separated in June 2022, as per the aforementioned report. The couple filed a joint petition on February 5 this year, seeking a divorce with mutual consent. But as per Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, a plea seeking mutual divorce can only be entertained by a family court six months after its filing date. Chahal and Verma had requested a waiver in the six-month period on February 20, which was then turned down.

However, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, March 19, overturned that decision and accepted Chahal and Verma's plea to expedite the process and waive off the cooling-off period.

The High Court ordered the family court to decide on the divorce petition by Thursday (March 20), considering the veteran's spinner participation in IPL 2025. Here's what the official ruling stated:

"As petitioner 1 (Chahal) is participant of IPL, learned counsel informs that he may not be available from 21st March, the learned judge family court is requested to decide petition by tomorrow."

"Thus it is clear that there is no impediment in the facts and circumstances of the case in granting the applications... Accordingly, impugned order dated 20th February is quashed and set aside and the writ is allowed," the High Court's directive added.

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Yuzvendra Chahal was the fifth-most expensive acquisition in IPL 2025 auction

Yuzvendra Chahal played for the Rajasthan Royals in the last cycle (2022-24) of the IPL. Although Chahal was the highest wicket-taker for the side during the period with 66 scalps in 46 games, he was not retained by the franchise.

In the IPL 2025 auction, Punjab Kings (PBKS) shelled out ₹18 crore to secure Chahal's services, making him the fifth-most expensive player in this edition.

The Punjab-based franchise will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Tuesday (March 25) in Ahmedabad. Notably, IPL 2024 winning captain, Shreyas Iyer will lead PBKS in this season.