Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has declared that he has quit drinking as he gears up to the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Before playing on behalf of Punjab Kings (PBKS) that had a decent showing last season and settled at runners up, the leg-spinner also discussed his own life.
Besides being determined to claim the championship, Yuzvendra Chahal indicated that he is thrilled to begin the season being more self-confident and more fit. He took 16 wickets in the 14 matches of the 2025 IPL with a 9.55 economy an average of 26.87 (two four-wicket hauls).
“I’ve stopped drinking alcohol, and it’s been more than six months. I am now 35, so I want to be more active and give my 150% for my team. As a senior player, I want people in the IPL to learn something from me,” Chahal said to AB de Villiers on YouTube.
PBKS lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by six runs in the summit match. Chahal expressed his tremendous disappointment and noted that one of the main causes of their defeat was Marco Jansen’s absence from the starting lineup.
“In the final, we missed (Marco) Jansen as he was not there. If he were there, we would have definitely won the championship. The way he bowled throughout the tournament was brilliant, and batting too, he was capable of hitting two to three sixes in the end. We are even more confident now because of the way he is bowling. It’s not going to be easy for the opposition openers,” said Chahal.
The 35-year-old promised to return with better shape in the next season after acknowledging that he was dissatisfied with his own performance because he was unable to compete at the greatest level.
“I was a bit disappointed with myself. After the KKR game, I had a rib fracture, and later, my knuckle got fractured. So in the semifinal and final, I wasn’t able to bowl my proper leg-spin. This year, I want to take care of my body first,” Chahal concluded.
