Excessive Drinking After Separation: Yuzvendra Chahal Spent 26 Days in Rehab

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal once reached a state of severe mental distress, driven by the turmoil in his marital life and the trauma of a separation. To overcome an addiction to uncontrolled alcohol consumption, he had to spend 26 consecutive days in a rehabilitation center. In a candid conversation on a podcast hosted by his former teammate Aakash Chopra, the star cricketer opened up about this dark chapter in his life and his journey toward recovery.

Chahal revealed that following his separation from Dhanashree Verma, he suffered from intense anxiety and panic attacks. The widespread discussion and criticism surrounding his personal life on social media took a heavy toll on his mental well-being, eventually forcing him to step away from cricket for a period.

Reflecting on the deterioration of his habits, the leg-spinner shared that his alcohol consumption spiraled completely out of control after he played county cricket last year. As the situation became unmanageable, he sought help from loved ones and friends, leading to his admission into a rehabilitation center, where he underwent treatment for 26 days.

Chahal noted that his time in rehab brought about a significant transformation in his personal life. According to him, this decision helped him regain emotional balance and fostered greater mental maturity. This positive shift also influenced his performance in the subsequent IPL, where he felt physically much more refreshed and revitalized.

Recalling the early days of his career, Chahal mentioned that during his IPL debut in 2011, South African legend AB de Villiers had taught him the importance of maintaining balance in life. However, that balance was lost under the immense mental pressure following his separation. He eventually realized that continuing on that path would destroy his cricket career—something he cherishes more than life itself. Driven by this realization, he made the difficult decision to turn his life around; today, he finds himself in a much happier and more positive state than ever before.