'Things spiralled out of control after divorce; AB de Villiers helped me'; Yuzvendra Chahal opens up

MUMBAI: Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal took solace in alcohol after separating from his former wife. The cricketer, in a recent interview, opened up about the battle with anxiety and how he nearly lost it.

Chahal said he faced extreme stress, anxiety and panic attacks after the divorce. Chahal also revealed that he had to spend 26 days in a rehabilitation centre after relying too much on alcohol. Hailing from Haryana, Chahal opened up about the difficult phase in his life in an interview with former cricketer Akash Chopra. The actor said netizens stalking their relationship and making their private lives public had a big impact on him. Chahal also stated that these kinds of discussions will hurt mental health and career.

Chahal stated that personal issues affected his performance and his approach to the game. Due to his poor mental state, Chahal even had to take a break from cricket matches. He played only two matches during the 2024–25 domestic cricket season. His poor mental state made him not participate in T20 matches. Chahal further explained that he did not want his situation to negatively impact the team's performance.

“At one point, things had spiralled out of control. To overcome my drinking habit, I went to a rehabilitation centre and stayed there for 26 days. This decision brought about a major transformation in my personal life. I was able to handle emotions with greater maturity. Quitting alcohol also led to significant improvements in physical fitness. I got better in gym workouts, fielding drills, and other physical exercises with much greater precision. In the IPL matches, I felt my body regained the youthful energy,” said Chahal.

Chahal also thanked former South African player AB de Villiers for bringing about a positive change in his life. De Villiers spoke about the importance of maintaining presence of mind. Chahal realised that his drinking—which had escalated following his divorce—had to be tamed or else he risked losing the very thing he loved most: cricket.