NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings star spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recently opened up about life after quitting alcohol. The leg-spinner spoke to India women's cricketer Harleen Deol on an episode of the Kandid with Kings podcast, released on the official Punjab Kings YouTube channel. In the candid chat, Chahal discussed stepping away from alcohol, his past struggles with depression, and also shared lighter cricket anecdotes.
Harleen began the conversation by asking, "You quit drinking, right?" Chahal responded, "I think it's the best decision of my life. After removing it from my life, I can say my life has completely changed. Now I spend more time with my family and friends. I understand much better what is happening in my life, who is with me, and who isn't. Earlier, I used to overthink all these things, but now I focus on myself. I play golf, and I go karting."
Chahal further explained, "I realized what I was missing in life, and once I understood that alcohol is not good for me, I made the decision. There comes a point when you go beyond your limits, and I had reached that stage. At that time, I was dealing with depression, and my mental health wasn't good. So I decided on my own."
Reflecting on his turning point, he said, "I was in the UK for county cricket, and there I decided that I had to go back and fix things. It has been more than six months now, and I am feeling very happy and grateful."
Chahal, who is currently playing for Punjab Kings, has taken 10 wickets in 13 matches so far in the IPL 2025 season. He was bought by Punjab Kings for a whopping INR 18 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Before joining Punjab Kings, the leg-spinner has represented Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Mumbai Indians. Overall, he has played 187 IPL matches and picked up 231 wickets, including one five-wicket haul.
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