Indian cricket team’s star spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, is once again making headlines—though this time, the reason isn’t his spin bowling, but rather his fitness. Ahead of the start of IPL 2026, Chahal has made a revelation that has left his fans and the entire cricketing world astonished. Speaking on the YouTube podcast of South African legend AB de Villiers, Chahal opened up about a major change in his personal life.
Yuzvendra Chahal Gives Up Alcohol for Fitness
Chahal revealed that he has completely abstained from consuming alcohol for the past six months. The leg-spinner, who has now stepped into his 35th year, believes that his career has reached a stage where fitness is the absolute key to success. Chahal stated:
“I now want to give 150% for my team. As a senior player, it is my responsibility to ensure that the younger players can learn something positive from me.”
The Unfulfilled Dream: The IPL 2025 Defeat
Last year—specifically during IPL 2025—the Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, delivered a stellar performance. The team reached the final but ultimately lost the title by a mere 6 runs in a thrilling contest against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Chahal identified the absence of Marco Jansen as a major factor behind this defeat. Chahal believes that had Jansen been available for the final, his lethal bowling and ability to hit massive sixes would have propelled Punjab to victory and made them champions.
Furthermore, Chahal made another startling revelation: he was severely injured towards the end of the previous season. During a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he suffered a rib fracture, followed shortly thereafter by a fractured finger. Consequently, he was unable to bowl his signature leg-spin effectively during crucial matches, such as the semi-final and the final. Speaking emotionally, Chahal admitted that he was disappointed with his performance last season, which is precisely why he decided that his top priority this year would be to “take care of his body.”
Chahal is the most successful bowler in the IPL.
Although Chahal is currently out of the Indian team, there is no one else like him in the history of the IPL. He has taken 221 wickets in 174 matches and is the IPL’s all-time leading wicket-taker.
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