Shikhar Dhawan gets divorce, Delhi court says cricketer was subjected to mental agony by wife

Shikhar Dhawan was granted divorce by a Delhi Court, noting that the senior India cricketer was subjected to cruelty and mental agony by his estranged wife Aesha Mukerji.

While approving the divorce of Shikhar Dhawan, the Family Court in the Patiala House complex in Delhi, noted that Shikhar Dhawan's wife had caused mental pain to the cricketer by forcing him to live separately from his only son for years. Judge Harish Kumar accepted all the allegations made by Dhawan against his wife in the divorce petition. In its order, the court said that Dhawan's wife either did not contest the above allegations or failed to defend herself.

Dhawan had said in his divorce petition that his wife had made him a victim of mental cruelty.

Shikhar Dhawan married Ayesha Mukherjee, who has two daughters from her first marriage, in October 2012. Notably, Aesha had spoken about getting a divorce in 2021 in a social media post.

In an interview to India Today earlier this year, Shikhar Dhawan had also spoken about the issue, saying he failed to spot the red flags in his relationship.

"I failed because the final decision is the person's own. I don't point fingers at others. I failed because I was not aware of that field. The things I talk about cricket today, I wouldn't have been aware of the same 20 years back. It comes with experience," Dhawan said.

"Right now my divorce case is going on. Tomorrow, if I want to marry again, I will be much more wiser in that field. I'll know what kind of girl I need; someone whom I can spend my life with," he added

NO ORDER ON PERMANENT CUSTODY OF SON

However, the court refused to pass any order on permanent custody of Dhawan and estranged wife's son.

The court also granted Dhawan the right to visit his son and interact with him over video calls for a reasonable period in India and in Australia where Aesha Mukerji lives.

The court ordered Dhawan's wife Ayesha to bring the child to India for the purpose of visitation, including overnight stay with Dhawan and his family members for at least half the period of school holidays during the academic calendar. The court said that the petitioner Shikhar Dhawan is a reputed international cricketer. He also has rights as a citizen and a responsible father. At the same time, the court is also mindful of the child's right to be in the company of his father and family.

Shikhar Dhawan was not picked in India's World Cup 2023 squad but the left-handed opener continues to play franchise-based cricket for Punjab Kings. Dhawan led PBKS in IPL 2023.