India’s experienced leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recently opened up about his separation from ex-wife Dhanashree Verma during a podcast appearance. He candidly discussed the emotional distance that had developed between them well before the official divorce process began.

Yuzi shared that for several months prior to the legal proceedings, they were not in touch with each other at all. Their only form of communication was limited to matters related to the legal formalities of the divorce. He refrained from going into specific details but mentioned that the relationship had already begun to drift apart long before it ended officially.

Despite the personal challenges, Chahal appeared composed and mature while speaking about the situation. He emphasized focusing on his mental well-being and career, stating that he is now in a better place emotionally and professionally. The cricketer also conveyed gratitude to his fans for their support during a difficult phase in his life.

See Also: PCB lands out big statement amid rumored rift between key Pakistan players

Yuzvendra Chahal Talked About His Last Interaction With Ex-Wife:

Yuzvendra Chahal shared that his final conversation with Dhanashree Verma happened over a video call involving their lawyers. He admitted that issues had been present in the marriage for a while, but they grew distant after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Chahal made these remarks during an interview on Raj Shamani’s YouTube podcast.

He said, “ I had not seen her for a very long time, and then I saw her on a video call, where the lawyers spoke to us. That's it, no message or anything after that. Before the divorce, we weren't on talking terms for six to seven months. We would talk only if there was something very important; otherwise, nothing. It was like that for a while, but after the T20 World Cup, it started properly.”

Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma officially parted ways on March 20, 2025, as ruled by the Bandra Family Court in Mumbai. Reflecting on the separation, Chahal mentioned that there was no possibility of saving the relationship, as both had already made every effort to make it work before deciding to move on.

He further said, “ She brought it up at times, even I did on some occasions, and it happened one day mutually. (Was there any chance to work it out) No, we tried enough. I tried my best.”

Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma first connected during the COVID-19 lockdown when he joined her online dance sessions. The couple got married on December 22, 2020. Currently, Chahal is representing Northamptonshire in the 2025 County Championship Division Two and delivered an impressive bowling performance against Derbyshire in their latest match.

India's leg-spinner extraordinaire, Yuzvendra Chahal, has opened up for the first time on the agonising divorce from Dhanashree Verma and the emotional abyss it cast upon him. Chahal disclosed on the Raj Shamani podcast that he grappled with anxiety, bouts of depression, and suicidal ideations during the dying days of their marital bond.

Chahal and Dhanashree were granted a divorce by the Bombay High Court on March 20, 2025, after nearly five years of marriage. While the news made headlines earlier this year, the cricketer had remained silent until now.

“I had suicidal thoughts. I cried multiple times a day, couldn’t sleep, and went through 40–45 days of emotional breakdown,” Chahal said. “I had panic attacks. I was sweating even in air-conditioned rooms. It became difficult to focus on cricket.” He revealed that he had to take a break from the Vijay Hazare Trophy during the 2024–25 season to deal with his mental health. According to Chahal, he felt emotionally drained, often questioning his own worth amid social media scrutiny and personal grief.

ALSO SEE: Exclusive!! Chetan Sharma shares views on ENG vs IND 2025 Tests and DPL youngsters

Chahal speaks about his divorce, mental health struggles, and how he's trying to move forward

Talking about the breakdown of the marriage, Chahal admitted that both he and Dhanashree were ambitious individuals with hectic schedules. That eventually led to distance and incompatibility. “A relationship requires time, understanding, and compromise. We both were busy with our lives. The connection started fading. I take responsibility too. I couldn’t express myself well,” he said.

Chahal also addressed the online trolling and rumors, particularly accusations of infidelity following the release of a music video by Dhanashree that touched on cheating and abuse. “I was called a cheater. But I have never cheated in my life. I’ve always been loyal. I think from my heart for my loved ones,” he clarified.

He added that his biggest fear is being alone and admitted to keeping a light on while he slept. He said, though there were struggles on the way, Chahal was working on himself and trying to become a better person. That honest conversation, despite the small viewership, has been commended for shedding light on mental health in professional sport, and fans have lauded Chahal for his courage and strength in speaking up.

Star India cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal revealed his tough post-divorce phase. He claimed that fake narratives and false claims about cheating on his ex-wife, Dhanashree Verma, almost drove him to take his own life. Because of decreased mental health due to rumors around him, his daily routine was badly affected, and the sleep cycle was disturbed. With a poor mental state, Chahal had to continue his cricket career as well. 

Slowly, the cricketer found himself at new lows, not for cricketing reasons, but for personal issues. Chahal claimed that he has two sisters; he knows how to respect women. He labeled himself as the most loyal person anyone can explore around. The false claims made him devastated, and by that time, he had only low thoughts in mind. From there, Chahal fought back and again made headlines through his bowling performances. 

"I had suicidal thoughts, I was tired of my life, and I used to cry for 2 hours. I used to sleep for just 2 hours. It went for 40-45 days. I wanted a break from cricket. I was so busy with cricket. I was not able to concentrate. I used to sleep for 2 hours. Used to share suicidal thoughts with my friend. I used to get scared," Yuzvendra Chahal said in a recent conversation. 

Read More: WATCH: Moment when 18-year-old Jewel Andrew got his West Indies T20I debut cap

Never cheated: Yuzvendra Chahal 

"I have never cheated in my life. I am not that kind of a person. You won't find anyone more loyal than me... I have two sisters and have grown up with them since childhood. I know how to respect women because my parents have taught me how to respect them. I've learned my life lessons from people around me." 

Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree tied their knot in December 2020 and separated legally on March 20, 2025. The prolific spinner has been out from Team India now for some years. He last played for India in August 2023. His experience and skills proved helpful to the Punjab Kings during their promising campaign in IPL 2025. 

Yuzvendra Chahal has always shared a light and funny moment with various players, but he seemed to have a close bond with the former Indian Test captain, Rohit Sharma, as the fans can see the same in the field. The Nagpur-born is also a very chill person in the field and shares close bonds with various players.

Chahal, during a recent podcast with Raj Shamani, got candid in sharing the close bond with Rohit Sharma, where he revealed the group he had, including Kuldeep Yadav, as they used to enjoy dinner together on various trips of the Indian side.

See Also: [WATCH] Former India stars analyze Yashasvi Jaiswal’s poor stance during ENG vs IND 2025 series

‘I have been playing with Rohit bhai since 2011, and we have shared a very good bond with Kuldeep. We go to dinner together on tours. We used to have a group of four to five people, and we used to go to various places on trips. That’s how the bonding became. With him, I have so much fun, but I always maintain a line like an elder brother. I like how he stays in the field, and he is such a good captain.’ Yuzvendra Chahal expressed on the podcast.

Watch: Yuzvendra Chahal shares close bond with Rohit Sharma

The 35-year-old has picked up 121 wickets in the 69 ODI innings at an average of 27.13 and a strike rate of 30.9 with the help of five four-wicket hauls and a couple of five-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 6/42 in an innings. Apart from that, the leg spinner has picked up 96 wickets in the shortest format at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of just over eight.

Yuzi Chahal on his relationship with Rohit Sharma🔥

Youngsters favourite bhaiya.🥹❤️

pic.twitter.com/35qOtLpyPs

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) August 1, 2025

Of late, the veteran has been in tremendous touch for Northampton against Derbyshire. In the first innings, he picked up six wickets for 118 runs in 33.2 overs, while in the second innings, he has current figures of 2/18 in eight overs at an economy rate of 2.25.

Chahal didn’t have an incredible IPL 2025 for the runners-up Punjab Kings, where he bagged 16 wickets in 13 innings at an average of 26.87 and an economy rate of 9.55 with the best bowling figures of 4/28 in an innings.

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recorded his first five-wicket haul in the ongoing English County Championship season, as his six-fer helped the hosts Northamptonshire to make a strong statement against the second-division side Derbyshire. 

Yuzvendra Chahal recorded 6 for 118 runs

After Derbyshire chose to bat first, they scored 377 all out on the early second day, while the hosts ended the day on 265/5. The 35-year-old Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was the standout bowler in the first innings of the match, as he finished with the bowling figures of 33.2-5-118-6. It was his fifth five-wicket haul in his first-class career.

While the no.7 batter Martin Andersson (105) scored a brilliant century in the first innings, Chahal took the wickets of opener Luis Reece (39), no.3 Harry Came (17), no.5 Brooke Guest (0), and the lower-order batters Zak Chappell (32), Ben Aitchison (45), and Blair Tickner (11). Chahal triggered a mid-batting-order collapse, as the visitors suddenly found themselves from 82/1 to 89/5. 

In the ongoing County Championship Division Two season, Chahal recorded a wicketless and a four-wicket haul against Kent, and later had another wicketless bowling figures against Middlesex.

See Also: India U19 tour of Australia: Full squad and match schedule revealed

Yuzvendra Chahal was in great form last County season

In the previous County Championship Division Two season (2024), the Indian leggie Yuzvendra Chahal finished as the fourth leading wicket-taker for Northamptonshire by picking up 19 wickets in just four matches, including two five-wicket hauls and two more four-fers. While he had a bowling average of 21.10 in that season, it was the fourth-best bowling average among at least 15-wicket takers in that competition.

Although Chahal has played 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, where the leggie picked up 121 and 96 wickets, respectively, India's second leading T20I wicket-taker, he hasn't played a Test match yet. He hasn't played an international match since August 2023. Although he was a member of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 title-winning team, he wasn't selected in any playing XI. 

Yuzvendra Chahal might be off the field for a while now, but the star India spinner is having fun away from the game. After his impressive outing in the Indian Premier League 2025 and fetching INR 18 crore in the auction, he was seen attending a game between India and England in the United Kingdom. 

Amidst all the cricketing action, his birthday beckoned and he was treated with a surprise mob dance in one of the busy squares of London. Chahal was seen holding a rose and all the dancers converged to congratulate him on his special day. He took to Instagram to share the video of the same and thanked his friends for having organised an unreal seeming birthday celebration. 

See also: Watch: Shubman Gill brings classic cover drive against Chris Woakes

“Hum ladko ki kabhi kabhi puri life bhi nikal jati hai bina birthday celebrate kare. This is my first birthday surprise in 3 decades and probably the craziest! And the world was spinning when all of this was happening! Numb. Grateful. Overwhelmed. Hope we all get friends who make such efforts to make us smile. Meanwhile I am still trying to digest this fact that this HAPPENED IN REAL.” Yuzi captioned his post. 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal23)

Chahal bags big bucks in IPL 2025

Ahead of the IPL 2025, Yuzvendra Chahal entered the auction after being released by his old team Rajasthan Royals. Punjab Kings who entered the auction with a hefty purse, did not bat a second thought and were adamant in buying the top wicket taker of IPL. They eventually assumed his services for a whopping INR 18 crore.

In his 14 outings for Punjab Kings, Chahal bagged 13 wickets at an average of 26 and an economy rate of 9.55. Despite his impressive outings, Punjab Kings eventually lost the final to Royal Challenges Bengaluru.

Yuzvendra Chahal turns 34 today. On this day, 23 July, 1990, he was born. Chahal's career remained as an inspiring story. During his student days, he wanted to be a chess player, and he was on his way to find his destiny with the checkered board. But the sponsorships dried up, and he found his way to cricket.

The Haryana-born had by then pushed himself for the World Youth Chess Championship for India, and then the turnaround. From the board game to the cricket field. During his early days in the cricket field, he was not among those who could be called brilliant.

 Despite an inconsistent domestic career with Haryana, Chahal was signed by the Mumbai Indians for the 2011 IPL. Chahal's cricket career got an extra boost after he joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). With the RCB, his cricket career took off. He was their top wicket-taker in 2015 and 2016.

Read More: WATCH: Bare-footed Sai Sudharsan shadow practicing in rain ahead of ENG vs IND 4th Test, sparks rumors of him in playing XI

Chahal always up to surprise opponents 

After producing stunning numbers in back-to-back seasons, BCCI selectors could not avoid the spinner and named him in the Team India squad; Chahal made his way into India's limited-over squad. There he made his mark quickly and became one of the reliable spinners in Blue's at a certain point. He became the first Indian bowler to take a five-for in a T20I, and his 6-wicket haul (6 for 25) against England was also the best bowling figures in a T20I by an Indian. It was the time when most white-ball spinners gradually depended on variations with the speed; Chahal, on the other hand, did not hesitate to offer extra guile and flight in his deliveries, which proved effective. 

The spin wizard's stats got some more decorations when he became the leading wicket-taker in the 2022 IPL for Rajasthan Royals. Next season, he went past Dwayne Bravo to become the IPL's leading wicket-taker.

India's leggie, Yuzvendra Chahal, first got an opportunity to shine for India in the tour to Zimbabwe in 2016. He took that chance with both hands, and impressed in the T20I and ODI forms of the game. The bowler who turns 35 years old on 23rd July 2025 is considered as a skiddy cricketer with the ball. Although he doesn't possess a googly as a variation, his deception in the air has proven to suffice against the opposition batters in all conditions. If a batter fails to read the delivery off his wrist, then he is an extremely tough customer to negotiate with. In that scenario, he can very easily get under the skin and cause havoc. In his full rhythm, facing Chahal is equivalent to mayhem for any batter. In a career that has spanned seven years (2016-23) so far, Yuzi has stacked up great numbers. Performing well in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestically for Haryana are his only gateways for a return into the Indian white ball circuit. 

See Also: Top 3 bowling performances of Yuzvendra Chahal in T20Is.

Yuzvendra Chahal's ODI Career Bowling Numbers

Chahal's Top 3 bowling performances in ODIs

1. 6/42 vs Australia, 2019

In the third and deciding ODI match of a series between Australia and India at the MCG in Melbourne, Chahal staged a memorable bowling display by recording his best figures in the 50-over format of the game. He spun a vicious web around the Aussie batters and scalped six of them to restrict their depleted team to a modest total which was eventually chased down by India. His returns also marked the joint best figures for an Indian bowler in an ODI Down-Under. 

2. 5/22 vs South Africa, 2018

In the second ODI of the series at Centurion, Yuzi's bowling masterclass outperformed the Proteas batters. He claimed his first five-wicket haul and dismantled the South African batting line-up. His exploits restricted them to just 118, which was chased down by India in a dominant fashion. 

3. 4/17 vs West Indies, 2017

In a low-scoring encounter at the North Sound, Antigua, Chahal's spell of 4/17 was crucial in restricting the West Indies and setting up a comfortable win for India. He consistently troubled the batsmen with his variations and flight.

Yuzvendra Chahal, often nicknamed as India's spin wizard while he was playing regularly for the national side, turns a year older on 23rd July 2025. At 35, the leg-spinner from Haryana has seen several highs in his career, so far. A person who was once associated with chess and has won the under-12 championship of the game is known for his immaculate bowling skills. His cleverness and guile have often disguised and foxed the batters on several occasions, leading to their demise. In T20 internationals, he was a dream bowler for every captain but a nightmare for the majority of the batters, for a long period. His ability to bowl in any phase of a twenty-over fixture, be it the powerplay, middle, or death overs, earned him the tag of a 'Specialist' in the shortest format of the game. Chahal's highest International Cricket Council (ICC) T20I ranking is 2nd, which he had achieved in 2018. His bowling statistics in this form of cricket are impeccable. 

See Also: BAN vs PAK 2nd T20I: Match Highlights and key performances

Yuzvendra Chahal's T20 International Bowling Numbers

A look at Chahal's top 3 T20I bowling performances

1. 6/25 vs England, 2017 

In Bengaluru, Chahal produced his best T20I figures, which are also the best by an Indian in the format. He entirely bamboozled the English batters and took crucial wickets, including those of the opposition skipper, Eoin Morgan, and batters like Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Moeen Ali. His magnificent display sealed the series for India and won him the man of the match and series award. 

2. 4/23 vs Sri Lanka, 2017

In the first match of the series between India and Sri Lanka at Cuttack, Chahal bagged important wickets of Tharanga, Mathews, and Thisara Perera, to help India record a comfortable victory. 

3. 3/20 vs South Africa, 2022

Chahal generated scintillating figures in a T20 match against the Proteas in Vizag by dismissing top batters like Rassie Van der Dussen to record his third-best figures in the format. 

Yuzvendra Chahal Proves He Can Spin the Red Ball, Just Ask Counties What Stands Out About Yuzi’s Revamped Version For some time now, Yuzvendra Chahal has been the white-ball specialist  the spinner to go for in limited-overs cricket. But in the current County Championship 2025, he is reconfiguring that story with performance, poise and a point to prove WICKET | Chahal PICKS UP HIS FOURTH Chahal now has 4 wickets in his 4 overs after pinning Podmore lbw in front of the stumps for 7! Another who relished a pitch offering more to seamers than spinners, he used his sharp control and variation cleverly, showing how he can grow in red-ball conditions.

What made this performance more impressive was the way he dismantled the opposition. Chahal didn’t just rely on big turn or mystery  he out-thought the batters. Tossing it up with flight, using subtle drift, and mixing his pace beautifully, he forced errors that turned the match. Every wicket came at a pressure point, stopping Kent’s progress and putting Northants in control. It was the kind of spell that speaks louder than stats  it showed a bowler in command of his craft.

For Chahal, this wasn’t just a good day out  it was a message to those watching closely back home. India’s Test squad has a packed spin department, but performances like this demand attention. Playing County cricket is giving Chahal exactly what he needs  time in the middle, longer spells, and exposure to tough batting conditions all invaluable tools for a red-ball resurgence.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Ravi Shastri expresses his views on Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill ahead of Day 2 of ENG vs IND 2nd Test

A White-Ball Star Finds Red-Ball Rhythm: Chahal’s County Heroics Spark Test Hopes

This four-wicket haul might just be the spark that lights up a new chapter in Chahal’s career. Succeeding in England, especially as a spinner, is no small feat  and it shows how far he’s evolved beyond the T20 template.

If he keeps this form going, the conversation around India’s future Test selections could shift. For now, fans in England  and back in India  are seeing something special: a reinvented Yuzvendra Chahal, spinning stories with the red ball.