Sports · Cricket · 12 hrs ago
Yuzvendra Chahal says 26-day rehab stay helped him address alcohol addiction
India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal says he sought help for alcohol addiction after his drinking became difficult to manage.
He said drinking began socially during his early years in the IPL and worsened after his divorce.
The end of his marriage and public scrutiny affected his mental health, and he also experienced anxiety attacks.
Chahal said he spent 26 days in a rehabilitation centre, where professional help helped him manage his emotions.
He said giving up alcohol helped restore his fitness and training focus, though he felt his cricket had been less affected than his personal life.
He also took a break from cricket when anxiety left him in the wrong frame of mind.
Chahal says he is now in a better place, but no further treatment or career plans were reported.
Yuzvendra Chahal said he spent 26 days in rehabilitation while dealing with alcohol addiction and anxiety attacks.
The India leg-spinner said he sought professional help after recognising that his drinking had gone too far.
He said the stay helped him manage his emotions and regain control of his life.
Chahal said giving up alcohol helped him recover his fitness and focus on training.
He linked the worsening of his drinking and mental health struggles to the period after his divorce.
- Who
- Yuzvendra Chahal, an India leg-spinner.
- What
- He spoke about alcohol addiction, anxiety attacks and spending 26 days in rehabilitation.
- When
- He discussed his experience on Aakash Chopra’s Baith & Bol podcast; the date of the conversation is not stated.
- Where
- The rehabilitation centre’s location is not stated.
- Why
- He said he sought professional help after realising his drinking had gone too far and he needed to change.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Chahal said heavy partying began during the early years of the IPL.
Chahal and Dhanashree Verma began living separately.
Chahal and Verma were granted a divorce by mutual consent.
Chahal said his drinking became harder to manage and he sought professional help, including a 26-day rehabilitation stay.
- Rehabilitation stay
- 26 days
- Cricket record
- 233 IPL wickets in 188 matches
- Marriage
- Chahal and Dhanashree Verma married in December 2020
- Separation
- June 2022
- Divorce
- March 2025, by mutual consent
3 sources
What people are saying
I went to a rehab centre where I stayed for 26 days.
My cricket wasn't affected that much, but my personal life suffered a lot from it.
If I keep doing this, the thing I love most, the reason I reached where I am today, my cricket, will never survive.