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Yuzvendra Chahal Reveals Darkest Phase: Yuzvendra Chahal, known in Indian cricket history for his magical spin bowling and his ever-present smile on the field, has made a deeply shocking and sensitive revelation about his personal life. Often seen full of energy on the cricket pitch, Chahal recently opened up about the most difficult phase of his life during a podcast hosted by former Indian opener Aakash Chopra.
Sharing his struggles, which included the stress following a divorce, alcohol addiction, and mental health challenges, Chahal revealed how he had to seek help at a rehabilitation center to overcome this crisis.
Chahal’s Struggle After Divorce and Alcohol Addiction
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During the interview, Chahal admitted that his mental state deteriorated significantly following the turmoil in his personal life and his divorce. To cope with the stress, he turned to alcohol, which gradually spiraled into a dangerous addiction.
Chahal explained that while attending parties was common in his younger days, the changes in his personal life and the grief from his divorce made the situation much worse. Things reached a point where he had to spend 26 days in a rehabilitation center to gain control over his addiction.
The Fear of Losing Cricket and the Decision to Enter Rehab
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Yuzvendra Chahal realized, with great clarity, that if he did not take control of his life in time, he risked losing everything he cherished most.
“I realized that if I continued on this path, I would completely destroy the thing I love the most and that is cricket.”
Reflecting on this difficult decision, he shared that after his stint playing county cricket, he resolved to steer his life in a new direction. The 26 days spent in rehab completely transformed his life. It fostered greater maturity and brought balance to his emotions.
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Panic Attacks and Mental Health Impact on Cricket Career
The turmoil in his personal life directly affected Chahal’s performance on the field. Public discourse and media headlines further exacerbated his mental state. Consequently, he played only two limited-overs matches that year and stepped away from T20 cricket, as he was not mentally prepared.
Chahal shared, "I was not mentally prepared at all, and I didn’t want the team to suffer in any way because of me. I spoke to Anirudh Sir and requested a break; he was incredibly supportive."
During this difficult phase, he also grappled with severe anxiety and panic attacks. He described how, during these episodes, his heart rate would spike, and the physical impact would become visible on his face; his lips would pull to one side, and he would be unable to speak properly.
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