Yuzvendra Chahal appears to have lost his place in the Indian white-ball squad, suggesting that he is unlikely to be selected for the upcoming Champions Trophy. On Wednesday, he was overlooked by Haryana's List A team for the knockout stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, coinciding with rumours regarding his divorce from his wife, Dhanashree Verma.

Chahal was also not included in the squad for the group stage of the tournament, where the defending champions secured second place in Group A, achieving six victories in seven matches and accumulating 24 points, trailing only the unbeaten Gujarat team.

Haryana is set to compete against Bengal in the first preliminary quarter-final at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on January 9. In preparation for this match, the selectors made several adjustments to the team, once again omitting Chahal, a specialist in white-ball formats.

In a statement to Cricbuzz, an official from the Haryana Cricket Association (HCA) clarified that Chahal's exclusion was not influenced by his issues but was a decision based purely on cricketing considerations. 

"We have made this decision in consultation with him, as we aim to develop a few young talents for the future," the HCA official stated. “Parth Vats, a leg-spin all-rounder, is the player we are introducing at this stage.”

Dhanashree Verma breaks silence amid divorce rumours

Speculation arose when social media users noticed that Chahal had deleted all his photos with Dhanashree from Instagram and had unfollowed her, while Dhanashree continued to display their pictures on her own social media account.

On Wednesday, Dhanashree addressed the divorce rumours in an extensive Instagram story, criticizing the "groundless narratives" and "character defamation by anonymous individuals."

She stated: "The last few days have been exceptionally challenging for my family and me. What is particularly disheartening is the groundless narratives, lack in factual verification, and the defamation of my character by anonymous individuals spreading animosity. I have dedicated years to establishing my name and integrity. My silence should not be misconstrued as weakness; rather, it is a demonstration of strength. While negativity can proliferate rapidly online, it requires bravery and empathy to elevate others. I choose to concentrate on my truth and progress, remaining steadfast in my values. The truth remains unshaken without the necessity for justification."

Read Also: Michael Clarke Voices Discontent Over Gavaskar's Omission from Trophy Presentation

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