New Delhi: Preparations for IPL 2026 are in full swing. The league is going to start from March 28, while all the teams are busy preparing to play in it. Meanwhile, India’s leading spin bowler Yuzvendra Chahal has made an interesting revelation. Chahal, who plays for Punjab Kings, discussed his personal life with South African cricket great AB de Villiers in a recent podcast. He told that he has given up alcohol consumption for the upcoming IPL season.

Quit alcohol before IPL 2026

Yuzvendra Chahal, while talking about his preparations for IPL 2026, said that he has stopped drinking alcohol. Chahal says, “I have not drank alcohol and I have been in the process for over six months. Now, when I am 35, I want to be more active and give 150 per cent effort for my team. As a senior player, I want the players playing with me in the IPL to learn something from me.”

Chahal was disappointed with himself

Chahal further said that he was not satisfied with his individual performance in the last season. He told AB, “I was feeling a little disappointed with myself. I had injured my rib during the match against KKR, and then I also injured my finger joint. So in the semi-finals and the final, I was not able to bowl my proper leg-spin. This year, I am giving priority to taking care of my body.”

Average performance in IPL 2025

If we look at the last IPL season, Chahal’s performance was nothing special. In IPL 2025, he played 14 matches for Punjab Kings, out of which his average was 26.87 and economy 9.55 in 13 innings, in which he took only 16 wickets.