Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has opened up about one of the most difficult periods of his life, revealing how his divorce from Dhanashree Verma affected his mental health and cricket career.
Speaking on former India opener Aakash Chopra's Baith and Ball podcast, Chahal admitted that he struggled with anxiety and panic attacks as public scrutiny of his personal life intensified.
The 36 year old explained that being a public figure made the situation even more difficult, with people constantly discussing his personal life on social media.
He admitted that the comments hurt him and that the emotional strain eventually began affecting his cricket.
'I couldn't even speak'
Chahal described how severe the anxiety attacks became, recalling that his heartbeat would increase rapidly and his face would tighten during an episode.
"My face would shrink during a panic attack. I couldn't even speak," he recalled.
He explained that his lips would sometimes tighten and pull to one side, making it obvious to those around him that something was wrong.
The spinner admitted that he had never experienced anything like it before.
Eventually, he realised that he could not control what people were saying about him on social media and decided to focus on moving forward
Why Chahal took a break from cricket
The difficult period also forced Chahal to temporarily step away from T20 cricket.
He revealed that he played just two white ball matches during that phase before deciding to take a break because he was not mentally prepared to compete.
Chahal said he did not feel he was performing at his best and, more importantly, did not want his struggles to affect the team.
He approached former BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, who supported his decision.
Chahal and Dhanashree, a choreographer and social media personality, married in December 2020 before their divorce was finalised in March 2025.
The couple's separation had attracted considerable attention on social media, something Chahal admitted was difficult to handle.
I GET PANIC ATTACK - CHAHAL OPENS UP ABOUT HIS DIVORCE
— Sam (@cricsam02) October 15, 2026
️: Yuzi Chahal revealed how the difficult phase of his divorce affected his mental health and cricket career. He admitted that he struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes finding it difficult to even speak.… pic.twitter.com/1tbbuAvhph
Spent 26 days in rehabilitation
In another revelation from the podcast, Chahal admitted that his alcohol consumption had increased during the difficult period surrounding his divorce.
He explained that drinking had initially been part of his social life during his younger days in the IPL, but things eventually got out of control.
Chahal said he realised that continuing down the same path could destroy the very thing he loved most: cricket.
He subsequently sought professional help and spent 26 days at a rehabilitation centre.
The spinner credited the experience with helping him regain control of his life and emotions.
He also revealed that his family and best friend stood by him during the difficult period.
Chahal said he is now in a much better place mentally and has been working on his fitness and personal well being.
For Chahal, the comeback was not just about taking wickets again. It was about getting his life back on track.