India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal opened up about the emotional distress and mental health challenges he endured during his divorce from influencer and choreographer, Dhanashree Verma.

Speaking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Chahal emphasised the mutual decision for separation, highlighting the incompatibility arising from their career-focused lives.

He also addressed rumours of infidelity and admitted to struggling with suicidal thoughts due to the immense pressure.

“It was going on for a long while. We decided we do not want to show the people... We were like, until we reach the point of the end, we are not going to say anything. We will be like a normal couple on social media. Yes, I was faking it,” Chahal said.

Commenting on their incompatibility, Chahal stated, “A relationship is like a compromise. If one gets angry, the other has to listen… Two ambitious people can stay together, but everyone has their own lives, their own goals.”

For Chahal, the toughest thing to deal with was the vicious rumours surrounding the breakup. “When I was going through the divorce thing, people labeled me as a cheater. I have never cheated. You won’t get a more loyal person than me,” he said.

“Just because you're seen with someone, people link you up and write for views. I have two sisters, I know how to respect women.”

Chahal also admitted that the mental stress pushed him to the edge. “For one month, I used to sleep for only two hours. I had suicidal thoughts, I shared them with my friends. I needed a break from cricket. Even on the field, my mind wasn’t there,” he revealed.

On his viral T-shirt that read "Be your own sugar daddy", which he sported to court, Chahal added, “Something happened from the other side, so I wanted to give this message.”

Despite the chaos in his personal life, Chahal said the separation was peaceful and mutual. “If things are happening between two people, they can still happen with peace,” he remarked.