It (alcohol addiction) crossed all limits, so I checked into a rehab centre and stayed there for 26 days. Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, who recently retired from first-class cricket, has revealed that he battled alcohol addiction to the point where he had to check into a rehabilitation centre.
Now, I know how to handle it,” Chahal told former India opener Aakash Chopra on a podcast. One of the most successful bowlers in IPL history, Chahal has faced several personal challenges, including alcohol addiction and divorce.
“After last year of county cricket…
Last IPL, my body felt like I was 30 years old again — doing gym work, fielding drills and training properly,” he said. Chahal said his alcohol problems began around 2011, when he entered the IPL, and worsened after his divorce. In 2011, I played my first IPL. (South African cricketer) AB de Villiers once told me, ‘Balance is key in life.
He said his family and friends helped him navigate the difficult phase of his life. “My best friend and family were there,” the 36-year-old leg-spinner said. So I put an end to it, and now I am in a much happier and better space,” Chahal said. Speaking about the turmoil in his personal life, Chahal said being a public figure often gives people a free pass to comment on his private affairs.
“That decision made a massive difference to my personal life. My maturity increased. My emotions are balanced now. However, he added that he is now in a much happier place after overcoming his addiction. “Initially, I was young. There were parties. It sounds easy, but it is not. “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.
