Yuzi Chahal Opens Up on Divorce: “I Slept 2 Hours a Night, Cried Alone, Thought About Ending It”

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was invited by Raj Shamani for an interview on his YouTube channel, where he finally opened up about the difficult phase of his life during his divorce from ex-wife Dhanashree Verma.

The 35-year-old, known for his charming personality and for keeping friends and teammates entertained with his jokes, revealed that the one who made others laugh was carrying a heavy emotional burden for the last three years. He shared it all, piece by piece, in this groundbreaking interview.

Also Read: Know true reason for divorce of Yuzvendra Chahal-Dhanashree Verma

Chahal Reflects on Silent Struggles Behind His Public Marriage with Dhanashree

Yuzi Chahal and dancer-choreographer Dhanashree Verma got married in 2020 and were once seen as a power couple both on and off the field. Their engaging social media content attracted a massive following. However, behind the scenes, tensions were brewing. Chahal revealed that he remained hopeful things would improve before choosing to go public.

“It was going on for a long while. We decided we do not want to show the people. Who knew if it did not happen? Maybe it would become a different scenario. We were like until we reached a point of no return, we are not going to say anything. We will be like a normal couple on social media," Chahal said.

Also Read: Yuzvendra Chahal-Dhanashree Verma Divorce Alimony Locked at Rs 4.75 Crore

When Raj Shamani asked whether he was faking his marriage during that time, Chahal gave a soft nod and said, “Yes.” He then opened up about the challenges of managing their diverging career paths and the compromises that came with it.

Chahal Admits Faking Marriage

The spinner added that if compromises aren’t working, especially when both individuals are deeply focused on their careers, questions arise about whether two ambitious people can truly stay together without sacrificing something.

"A relationship is like a compromise. If one gets angry, the other has to listen. Sometimes the nature of two people does not match. I was playing for India, and she was also doing her dance. This was going on for 1–2 years. At that point, I was so much into it, I had to give time here, give time there. I was not able to think about the relationship.

Then it happens every day—you think, leave it. Two ambitious people can stay together. Everyone has their own lives. Everyone has their own goals. As a partner, you have to support it. You are working for something for 18–20 years—you cannot leave it for a relationship," Chahal added.

Chahal Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles Amid Divorce Backlash

Chahal also spoke about the intense public backlash he faced during the divorce proceedings. That phase led him into a dark mental space, where he experienced suicidal thoughts, especially when people didn’t understand his side and labelled him a “cheater.”

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

Also read: Dhanashree Verma drops cryptic message after Yuzvendra Chahal & RJ Mahvash's Pics Go Viral