‘Things bought extreme after my divorce’: Yuzvendra Chahal opens up on alcohol dependancy

NEW DELHI: Yuzvendra Chahal has opened up about his battle with alcohol after his divorce, revealing that he checked right into a rehabilitation centre for 26 days to get his life again on observe. The leg-spinner mentioned his ingesting had crossed limits and he realised that persevering with on the identical path may hurt his cricket profession.Chahal, who’s the very best wicket-taker in IPL historical past with 233 wickets in 188 matches, spoke about his struggles in a podcast with former India opener Aakash Chopra.

‘Things bought extreme after my divorce’

Chopra requested Chahal when he determined to surrender alcohol.“After final yr of county cricket. It crossed all limits, so I checked right into a rehab centre and stayed there for 26 days. Now, I understand how to deal with it. That resolution made an enormous distinction to my private life. My maturity elevated. My feelings are balanced now. Last IPL, my physique felt like I used to be 30 years outdated once more – doing fitness center work, fielding drills and coaching correctly,” Chahal mentioned.When Chopra requested how his alcohol consumption started, Chahal mentioned he was younger when he began attending events. He additionally recalled recommendation from former South Africa batter AB de Villiers.“Initially, I used to be younger. There have been events. In 2011, I performed my first IPL. AB de Villiers as soon as advised me, ‘Balance is essential in life.’ It sounds straightforward, however it’s not. Things bought extreme after my divorce, and my psychological state was not that nice,” he mentioned.“I realised that if I continued down that path, I might break the very factor I really like most – cricket. So I put an finish to it, and now I’m in a a lot happier and higher house,” Chahal mentioned.

Chahal’s IPL document

Despite his private struggles, Chahal has remained one of many main wicket-takers within the IPL. He has taken 233 wickets in 188 matches, placing him on the prime of the event’s all-time listing.He has additionally represented India in 72 ODIs, taking 121 wickets, and 80 T20Is, taking 96 wickets. However, he’s but to make his Test debut.Chahal took 16 wickets in IPL 2025 and completed the 2026 season with 12 wickets.