Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has finally opened up about his divorce from Dhanashree Verma. The two were married for nearly five years before officially parting ways, with the Bombay High Court granting their divorce on March 20.
Yuzvendra Chahal Breaks Silence on Divorce from Dhanashree Verma
Speaking on the Raj Shamani podcast, Chahal got candid about the tough times he went through in the final months of their relationship. He revealed that he struggled with anxiety and even had suicidal thoughts during that period.
Things got so overwhelming that he asked for a break from playing for his state team during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which took place between December and January (2024–25), just to focus on his mental health.
“I got anxiety attacks, I was in depression. I had suicidal thoughts, I watched so many things about myself on social media. I wanted a break from cricket. I started shivering due to anxiety, I was sweating despite the AC being on,” Yuzvendra Chahal said on the podcast.
Read More
Chahal shared what led to the end of their marriage, saying that in the end, they just weren’t compatible. He explained that both of them came into the relationship with different expectations, and things started falling apart when he couldn’t spend enough time with Dhanashree because of his busy cricket schedule.
“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, she was also doing her thing, we were not able to meet much. This was going on for 1–2 years,” Chahal said.
“At that point, I was so much into dividing time in my work. I was not able to think about the relationship. And when that 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. The person has worked very hard on building his life,” he added.
When asked about his own flaws in the relationship, Chahal admitted that one of his biggest struggles was not being able to express himself properly. He said that this became a problem between them. But he also added that he’s been working on it and is trying to grow as a person for the sake of his future partner.
“My red flags are that I do not speak a lot, I do not express myself a lot, and I am working on that. I do not express sadness and happiness well. When you are sad, you think that the person in front of you should be sad as well. And that was probably wrong. I am very calm now. I was not aggressive. I get angry very rarely, and it comes out badly. I do not abuse in fights, I do not get physical, I speak very respectfully,” Chahal said.
Chahal On Facing Criticism Over A T-Shirt
Yuzvendra Chahal faced some backlash on social media, with a few people calling him out for looking cheerful and supposedly taking subtle digs at his ex-wife, all because of a T-shirt he wore during the divorce proceedings.
Responding to the criticism, Chahal said he was simply happy because he had made it through one of the darkest phases of his life. He felt he had every right to smile and feel better again.
“When I got divorced, I was happy. I think some people must have been jealous about it. I had seen the worst phase 3-4 months leading up to that, and my friends helped me through it,” he said.
Soon after their divorce, Dhanashree Verma released a music video that touched on topics like cheating and domestic violence. After the video came out, some people on social media started accusing Yuzvendra Chahal of being unfaithful.
Yuzvendra Chahal later cleared the air, saying the rumors weren’t true. He said he’s never been that kind of person and has always stayed loyal in his relationships.
“I think when my divorce happened, people accused me of being a cheater. 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 think from my heart for my closed ones, always. I do not demand, I always give. When people don’t know anything, but they keep blaming me, so you start thinking [otherwise],” the Indian bowler said.
ALSO READ: Tottenham Sign João Palhinha On Loan Deal: Midfield Reinforcement Set For North London Revival
