Yuzvendra Chahal has revealed that he spent 26 days at a rehabilitation centre after struggling with alcohol addiction, saying the fear of damaging his cricket career prompted him to seek help.
The 36-year-old leg-spinner, who recently retired from first-class cricket, told former India opener Aakash Chopra on a podcast that his drinking had worsened after his divorce.
“After last year of county cricket... It (alcohol addiction) crossed all limits, so I checked into a rehab centre and stayed there for 26 days. Now, I know how to handle it,” Chahal said.
“That decision made a massive difference to my personal life. My maturity increased. My emotions are balanced now. Last IPL, my body felt like I was 30 years old again — doing gym work, fielding drills and training properly,” he said.
One of the most successful bowlers in IPL history, Chahal said his family and friends had supported him through the difficult period.
“My best friend and family were there,” he said.
Chahal traced his problems with alcohol to his early years in the IPL, recalling advice from former South Africa batter AB de Villiers about finding balance.
“Initially, I was young. There were parties. In 2011, I played my first IPL. (South African cricketer) AB de Villiers once told me, ‘Balance is key in life.’ It sounds easy, but it is not.”
He said his divorce marked a particularly difficult period, but he was now in a happier place.
“Things got excessive after my divorce, and my mental state was not that great. I realised that if I continued down that path, I would ruin the very thing I love most — cricket. So I put an end to it, and now I am in a much happier and better space,” Chahal said.
Speaking about the scrutiny of his personal life, Chahal said being a public figure had left him exposed to comments about his private affairs.
“When you are a public figure, everything happening in your life becomes an invitation for people to comment. I felt bad, and there were a lot of difficulties,” he said.
Chahal also spoke about seeking a break and experiencing anxiety and panic attacks.
“I spoke to Anirudh sir (Chaudhry, former BCCI treasurer) and requested a break, and he was very supportive. Eventually, I thought, ‘How long will I carry this weight?’ Anxiety and panic attacks started happening in my life.
“Anxiety is like, the heartbeat increases. For me, my face would shrink during a panic attack. I couldn't even speak; my lip would tighten and pull to one side, so people could figure out that something was wrong with me.”
(With inputs from PTI)