Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma tied the knot in December 2020 after falling in love during the COVID-19 lockdown. Their relationship was admired for being a refreshing mix of cricket and creativity. The couple often posted fun and romantic moments together on Instagram, quickly becoming fan favourites.But things started to change. Over time, the couple unfollowed each other, removed photos together, and rumours about their separation started to make headlines. The couple’s divorce was finalised on March 20, 2025 at a family court in Mumbai.
She praised his honesty and warmth
Before things went wrong, Dhanashree had openly spoken about her admiration for Yuzvendra. In a 2023 chat on Ranveer Allahabadia’s podcast, she lovingly described what drew her to him. She said, “What I love the most about him is his decency. There are no layers with Yuzi, what you see is what you get.”
From dance videos to real feelings
Their first interaction wasn’t romantic at all. Yuzvendra saw Dhanashree’s dance reels on TikTok and Instagram during lockdown and reached out to her for dance classes. In his words, “I had DMed her, having seen her dance on TikTok and a number of other reels. I asked her if she gives classes as I had nothing to do in lockdown. I wanted to learn something new. Once I messaged her, we started with online classes. First two months, we didn’t talk about anything else but dance. I didn’t flirt at all. We are not even friends, only had dance-related talks.”
Yuzu called her a ‘self-made woman ’
As time passed, their talks became deeper and more personal. One simple question from Yuzvendra changed everything. He shared, “I asked her ‘how are you so happy, even during this lockdown?’ Then she started to talk about her life. That is where our conversations started. I liked her vibe. She is a self-made woman like I am a self-made man. I told my mom about her, that I like this girl. Then I told her (Dhanashree) I don’t want to date you, I want to marry you. I said that straight away. I was sure.”
Divorce finalised in March 2025
What caught everyone’s attention, however, was Yuzvendra’s choice of on the day of the final hearing for divorce. He arrived wearing a bold T-shirt that read, “Be Your Own Sugar Daddy.” The internet quickly picked up on it, and the moment went viral.
Meaning behind the viral t-shirt
Yuzvendra recently appeared on Raj Shamani’s podcast, where he finally addressed the now-famous t-shirt and cleared the air. Many thought it was a dramatic move, but he said otherwise. He explained, “Meko nahi karna tha drama, I just wanted to give one message and mai ne vo de diya.” (I didn’t want to create drama. I just wanted to give a message, and I gave it.)
