Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal revealed a 26-day stay at a rehabilitation centre and a battle with alcohol addiction following his divorce from Dhanashree Verma, which was finalized in March 2025. The 36-year-old cricketer shared his recovery journey and experience with panic attacks during an October 2026 podcast appearance.
The conversation offered an unusually raw look at the pressures facing modern cricket stars away from the pitch. Speaking on Aakash Chopra’s Baith & Bol podcast, the veteran wrist-spinner detailed how the collapse of his marriage and intense public scrutiny pushed his personal life to a breaking point.
Rehab, Recovery, and the Turning Point After County Stint
Chahal traced his hardest months to the period following a stint in English county cricket. As drinking habits that began during his early partying days escalated out of control, he recognized that he needed professional intervention to save both his well-being and his career.
Recalling the advice of former South Africa batter AB de Villiers, who had previously told him that balance is key in life, Chahal admitted that putting such wisdom into practice proved exceptionally difficult when his mental state deteriorated.
After last year of county cricket. It crossed all limits, so I checked into a rehab centre and stayed there for 26 days. Now, I know how to handle it. That decision made a massive difference to my personal life. My maturity increased. My emotions are balanced now.
The decision to seek help brought immediate physical dividends. Chahal noted that quitting alcohol transformed his training capacity, allowing him to complete gym workouts and fielding drills with the energy of a player a decade younger.
Dhanashree Verma Divorce and the Physical Toll of Panic Attacks
The personal crisis deepened around the legal dissolution of his marriage. Chahal and social media influencer Dhanashree Verma began living separately in June 2022 after marrying in December 2020, with the Bandra Family Court in Mumbai granting their divorce by mutual consent in March 2025.
Public commentary on social media intensified the stress, triggering acute anxiety and physical panic attacks that made basic communication difficult.
During anxiety, my heart would race and my face would contort. I could not even speak. My lips would tighten and pull to one side. People would realise that something was wrong with me.
Unwilling to let his mental state compromise team performance, Chahal requested a break from domestic fixtures.
Punjab Kings Contract and the Drive for an India Return
Despite remaining the leading wicket-taker in Indian Premier League history with 233 wickets across 188 matches, Chahal has not represented India in an international fixture since his August 2023 appearance against the West Indies, though he was named to the T20 World Cup squad in 2024 without getting any game time.
He recently retired from first-class red-ball cricket at age 36, accepting that he may never pull on an India Test shirt as he concluded his multi-day career following a county appearance for Northamptonshire against Middlesex at Lord’s. Yet his white-ball ambitions are far from finished, fueled in part by the massive backing he received at the IPL auction.
In my first year with Punjab Kings, when they paid Rs 18 crore for me, I felt, ‘They trusted me with so much money; I can’t let them down.’ In the KKR match, while defending 111, I realised I had to step up.
Reflecting on past World Cup omissions, Chahal recalled conversations with captain Rohit Sharma explaining the team’s tactical shift toward batting depth through number eight during the 2023 home tournament. With those selection hurdles behind him, the Haryana wrist spinner insists his competitive hunger remains entirely intact for shorter formats as he chases another chance to wear the Indian blue jersey.