Yuzvendra Chahal has stopped consuming alcohol in order to prioritise fitness ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League. The leg spinner has quit alcohol to give "150% for his team", Punjab Kings (PBKS).
"After the KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders] game, my hip got fractured and later in the tournament my knuckle got fractured," Chahal told AB de Villiers on the latter's YouTube channel AB de Villiers 360.
"So in the semi-final [Qualifiers] and final, I was not able to bowl my proper legspin and all. But this year I [wanted] to take care of my body first and I have one good news for you, I stopped alcohol. It's been more than six months. " Chahal told.
"Now, I'm 35, I want to be more active and give my 150% for my team. As a senior bowler and senior player, people will see me [and think] 'this guy, we have to learn something from him.'" he added.
Due to the injuries, Chahal featured in only 14 out of the 17 games last season and took 16 wickets. It was the fewest numbers of wickets that he had taken in an IPL season since 2018 when he claimed 12 scalps for his former side Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Also Read: Lionel Messi Hits 900: Who Tops All-Time Top 10 Goalscorers List?
The leg spinner is looking forward to working closely with captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting again.
"Ricky and Shreyas worked together during the IPL at DC [Delhi Capitals]," Chahal said. "So they have that bonding and I played with him [Ponting] when I was in Mumbai Indians. But when I met him, he was very clear about the players and the roles. That's the best thing you want as a player. He is very easy to communicate [with] - you can go there, anytime you can message Ricky he was always available. Same with Shreyas. You don't feel like he's your captain - he's your friend only."
Punjab Kings were the runners-up last season as they lost the final against RCB.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side kick-off the IPL 2026 in Chandigarh with a match against Gujarat Titans on March 31. The team then travels to Chennai to take on Chennai Super Kings on April 3. Their third match of the season is against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 6. They will be back in Chandigar to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 11.
IPL has released only the partial schedule of the season due to upcoming state elections.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.