Hardik Pandya vacays abroad amid divorce rumours with wife Natasa Stankovic, soon to join India T20 World Cup squad in New York

The timing of his vacation has coincided with ongoing speculation about his marital status with Natasa Stankovic, adding fuel to the divorce rumours.

Hardik Pandya, the prominent Indian cricketer and captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is currently in the spotlight not just for his professional performance but also for his personal life.

Recent reports have surfaced suggesting that Pandya is vacationing abroad amidst rumours of divorce with his wife, Natasa Stankovic. Despite the personal turmoil, he is expected to join the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup in New York.

According to a report from Cricbuzz, Pandya has been vacationing at an undisclosed overseas location. He left India following the end of the Mumbai Indians' disappointing IPL campaign, where they finished at the bottom of the table for the second time in three years.

The timing of his vacation has coincided with ongoing speculation about his marital status with Natasa Stankovic, adding fuel to the divorce rumours.

While Pandya has chosen to take some personal time off, he remains a crucial part of the Indian cricket team. The T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin from June 1 onwards in the USA and the West Indies, will see Pandya joining the team in New York. He will be playing under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, with whom he shares a strong professional relationship. Despite the rumours, Pandya's commitment to the national team remains unwavering, and he is set to be Rohit's deputy in the upcoming ICC tournament.

The Indian team, which boasts a mix of seasoned players and young talent, left for New York on Saturday night. Notable absentees on the flight included Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya. Kohli, who had an exceptional IPL season with 741 runs in 15 matches, sought permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to extend his break post-Royal Challengers Bengaluru's exit in the Eliminator match of IPL 2024. His performance earned him the prestigious Orange Cap for the second time in his career, making him the leading run-getter in an IPL season once again.

As for Pandya, his absence from the initial flight raised eyebrows, but it was later confirmed that he would directly join the team in New York. The rest of the Indian squad, including prominent players like Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and substitutes Shubman Gill and Khaleel Ahmed, arrived in New York on Sunday evening. The team's first practice session is eagerly anticipated, and Pandya is expected to be present for it.

The Indian team's schedule for the T20 World Cup includes a series of challenging matches. They will begin their campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. This will be followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan on June 9 at the same venue. Subsequent matches include games against co-hosts USA on June 12 and Canada on June 15 as part of their Group-A ties. Ahead of their campaign opener, India will also play a warm-up game in New York against Bangladesh on June 1.