Yuzvendra Chahal is heading into IPL 2026 with a renewed mindset and a powerful deal with health, hoping to show a tough section in his profession right into a contemporary begin with Punjab Kings. The 35-year-old leg-spinner, who has not featured for India since 2023, revealed a serious private change that he believes will assist him prolong his profession and carry out at the next degree.Talking to AB de Villiers on his YouTube present, Chahal shared that he has fully given up alcohol. “This 12 months, my thoughts has mentioned that I’ll care for my physique first. And I’ve some excellent news for you: I finished ingesting alcohol.“It’s been greater than six months. I’m 35 now. I need to be extra energetic, and I need to give 150 per cent for my crew. As a senior bowler, if I’m going to the IPL, I need individuals to see me and assume ‘we’ve got to be taught one thing from him’,” mentioned Chahal.The choice comes after a difficult couple of years, each professionally and personally. As soon as on the verge of turning into India’s first bowler to achieve 100 T20I wickets, Chahal stays caught on 96, with Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya having since crossed the milestone.Off the sector too, Chahal endured a troublesome interval, together with a high-profile divorce from Dhanashree Verma final 12 months after months of public consideration.Regardless of these setbacks, he performed a key function in Punjab Kings’ robust IPL 2025 marketing campaign. That includes in 14 matches, he picked up 16 wickets at an financial system fee of 9.56 and have become the league’s all-time main wicket-taker through the season. Punjab, led by Shreyas Iyer, reached the ultimate however fell brief in opposition to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Chahal admitted the defeat nonetheless lingers, pointing to the absence of all-rounder Marco Jansen as a vital issue. “Within the last, we missed Jansen as he was not there. If he had been there, we’d have positively received the championship,” Chahal mentioned.The leg-spinner additionally revealed he was not totally match through the enterprise finish of the match. “I used to be a bit upset with myself. After the KKR recreation, I had a rib fracture, and later, my knuckle received fractured. So within the semifinal and last, I wasn’t in a position to bowl my correct leg-spin. This 12 months, I need to care for my physique first,” he mentioned.With 221 wickets in 174 matches, Chahal stays the IPL’s highest wicket-taker and can as soon as once more be central to Punjab’s title ambitions. Because the franchise prepares to start its IPL 2026 marketing campaign on March 31 in opposition to Gujarat Titans, Chahal’s renewed self-discipline and focus might show decisive of their pursuit of a maiden title.