Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has opened up for the first time about the mental health challenges he faced following his much-publicised divorce from choreographer and influencer Dhanashree Verma. In an interview on the Raj Shamani podcast, Chahal shared that he was wrongly labelled as a “cheater” after the separation, despite having been loyal throughout the relationship. “I Was Called A Cheater After Divorce”: Yuzvendra Chahal “After my divorce, I was called cheater. And I have never cheated in my life. I’m an extremely loyal person. You wouldn’t even find a loyal person like me. I deeply care about my people,” he said. Chahal expressed that what hurt him the most was how people jumped to conclusions without knowing the full story. “That’s what affects me that you guys don’t even know what has happened and yet you are blaming me,” he added. Chahal, known for his calm demeanour on the field, said he struggled with the intense trolling and baseless assumptions that flooded the internet after his breakup. “Just because I’m seen with someone doesn’t mean you’ll write anything for views. And if you react and speak up, then 10 more people will come and troll you even more. Because they want masala all the time,” he said, referring to his alleged relationship with RJ Mahvash. “I know my truth and the people who are close to me know my truth so I don’t care. Why do I justify to anybody when I haven’t done anything wrong?” he added firmly. “I Was In Depression For 5 Months”: Yuzvendra Chahal The leg-spinner revealed that during this emotionally turbulent period, he experienced severe anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. “I’d been in depression for four to five months. I got anxiety attacks. Only my close ones know this. I have never shared this anywhere for sympathy. I used to have suicidal thoughts because my mind had completely stopped working,” Chahal admitted. He further revealed that he took a break from cricket to deal with his mental health. Despite having all the material comforts in life, he said he felt empty. “You have everything in your life, all the luxuries, but you still don’t have happiness. Then you get these thoughts — what to do with this life, just leave it,” he shared. Yuzvendra Chahal Credits RJ Mahvash For Her Constant Support Chahal credited his close friends, including Pratik Pawar and RJ Mahvash, for helping him during his lowest phase. “I didn’t want to share it with my family because I didn’t want to bother them. So, my close friends really helped me during this period. They were with me,” he concluded.