Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Punjab Kings (PBKS) spinner Yuzvendra Chahal opened up on his decision to quit alcohol.

Chahal will play for PBKS for the second consecutive season after being retained by the franchise for INR 18 crore ahead of the mini-auction last year.

Speaking to AB de Villiers on his YouTube show, Chahal stated that he is eager to enhance his performance and level of fitness. Hence, he has stopped consuming alcohol

“I’ve stopped drinking alcohol, and it’s been more than six months. I am now 35, so I want to be more active and give my 150% for my team. As a senior player, I want people in the IPL to learn something from me," Chahal said.

The leg-spinner also reflected on PBKS's narrow 6-run loss to RCB in the IPL 2025 final, citing Marco Jansen's absence and his own injuries as significant factors in the defeat.

“In the final, we missed Jansen as he was not there. If he were there, we would have definitely won the championship," Chahal said.

“The way he bowled throughout the tournament was brilliant, and batting too, he was capable of hitting two to three sixes in the end. We are even more confident now because of the way he is bowling. It’s not going to be easy for the opposition openers," he added.

Chahal himself had a tough time, following his return from the rib injury. “I was a bit disappointed with myself. After the KKR game, I had a rib fracture, and later, my knuckle got fractured. So in the semifinal and final, I wasn’t able to bowl my proper leg-spin. This year, I want to take care of my body first," he remarked.

Yuzvendra Chahal is the most successful bowler in IPL history, with 221 scalps in 174 games. As PBKS aim to secure their maiden IPL title after 18 seasons of missing the top prize, the wrist-spinner is determined to make a strong comeback.