Indian cricket team’s renowned spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has finally broken his silence about his divorce and spoken for the first time.
Yuzvendra Chahal and his former wife, choreographer Dhanashree Verma, were married for almost five years. However, on March 20 this year, the two officially got divorced.
Yuzvendra Chahal Opens Up About Divorce: Faced Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Thoughts
Indian cricket team’s renowned spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has finally broken his silence regarding his divorce and opened up for the first time.
Yuzvendra Chahal and his former wife, choreographer Dhanashree Verma, were married for nearly five years. However, on March 20 of this year, the couple officially divorced.
Recently, during a podcast interview, Chahal spoke candidly about the emotional stress and psychological challenges he faced due to his marital life.
He revealed that during the last few months of his marriage, he suffered from severe depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.
“During that period, I had anxiety attacks, I was depressed, suicidal thoughts crossed my mind. I read a lot about myself on social media which hurt me even more. I wanted a break from cricket. My body used to tremble due to anxiety. I would sweat even with the AC on in the room,” Chahal shared during the podcast.
He further explained that during the Vijay Hazare Trophy (December-January 2023-2024), he requested a break from his state cricket team to find some mental peace.
Chahal said the core reason behind the separation was the difference in personalities and life priorities. “A relationship requires compromise, but if two people’s natures don’t align, it doesn’t work. I was playing for India, she was busy in her own space. We couldn’t give each other time. This had been going on for a couple of years,” he added.
He also said, “At that time, I was juggling so many responsibilities. I had to be present in multiple places and couldn’t really think about the relationship. I kept thinking every day – let it go. Two strong people can live together, but everyone has their own life and goals. As a partner, you need to be supportive. If you’ve worked for something for 18-20 years, it’s not easy to give it up for a relationship.”
Chahal revealed that he kept the divorce private until it was finalized. “It had been going on for quite a while. We decided not to tell anyone. Who knew what might happen? Maybe things would have turned out differently. We agreed not to say anything until there was no way back. We continued to appear as a normal couple on social media.”
When asked whether they were pretending during that time, Chahal nodded, confirming that yes, they were indeed pretending.
He also said, “During the time of my divorce, people were calling me a cheater. But I’ve never cheated anyone. That’s not who I am. You won’t find anyone more loyal than me. I care deeply for the people close to me. I don’t ask for things, I give. When people don’t know the truth but still blame you, it gets to you.”
When asked about his own shortcomings or “red flags,” Chahal admitted that he wasn’t good at expressing his emotions. “I don’t talk much, neither when I’m happy nor when I’m sad. That was my biggest weakness, and I’m working on it now. I never use foul language, never get physical in arguments, and always speak respectfully.”
He emphasized, “I have two sisters and grew up with them. I’ve always been taught to respect women. My parents taught me how to treat women. I’ve learned life lessons from those around me. Just because my name gets linked with someone doesn’t mean people should write anything just for views.”
Following the divorce, Chahal faced intense criticism on social media—especially when he wore a T-shirt with a specific message during a court appearance, which people interpreted as a dig at his ex-wife.
Responding to that, Chahal said, “When the divorce happened, I was happy because I had come out of the worst phase of my life. Maybe some people were envious of my happiness, but they don’t know what pain I went through.”
Shortly after the divorce, Dhanashree Verma released a music video focusing on themes of betrayal and domestic abuse. This led to further accusations of infidelity against Chahal, which he strongly denied.
“I’ve never been unfaithful to anyone. That’s just not who I am. You won’t find someone more loyal than me. I always think from the heart and give more than I take. People kept blaming me without knowing anything.”
Chahal admitted that facing public criticism and personal turmoil at the same time severely impacted his mental health. He fell into depression and had suicidal thoughts.
“There were moments when I thought of ending my life. I was exhausted. I used to cry for two hours a day and barely slept two hours each night. This went on for 40-45 days. I needed a break from cricket. I was so involved in it that I couldn’t focus. I even shared my suicidal thoughts with a friend. I was scared,” he concluded.
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