Since making his debut in 2016, Yuzvendra Chahal has made rapid strides to emerge as India’s leg-breakthrough. Armed with the ability to read batsmen’s minds and outfox them at crucial junctures, Chahal is quickly gaining a reputation in the limited overs format.
Let’s take a look at his all-impressive bowling brio and define some key moments that shaped his confidence in 2017.
In the 17 matches that Yuzvendra Chahal has played, he has taken 27 wickets at an economy of 4.66. While in 14 T20Is, he has taken 26 wickets at an economy of 7.73.
vs England: Chahal made a superlative start to the year by claiming his career-best figures of 6/25 to handily spin England out of the contest in the third and final T20I in Bangalore.
vs Australia: In the limited over series against Australia, Chahal picked up the crucial wicket of Glenn Maxwell – not once, but four times in a row. He foiled Maxwell in the first three ODI games, forcing him to be dropped from the next two. When the hard-hitting Australian allrounder returned to the team in the absence of skipper Steve Smith, Chahal outfoxed him again in the first T20I – handsomely making it 4 out of 4. Not too shabby for the legbreak bowler from Haryana against one of the most dangerous batsman in the world.
vs New Zealand: Chahal scalped (a combined) 4 wickets in the second and third must-win ODIs against New Zealand. With the wins, India secured their 7th consecutive bilateral ODI series win under current captain Virat Kohli.
vs Sri Lanka: Chahal’s 3/46 in the third and deciding ODI swept away Sri Lanka’s chances of registering their first bilateral series win in India. He subsequently featured with figures of 4/23 in India’s biggest T20I win (to date).
PTI
India recorded series wins against all aforementioned teams on home soil – ODIs and T20Is. Helping them along the way was one Yuzvendra Chahal.
Also Read: Are Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah India’s best bowling pair?
Chahal also stands as the highest T20I wicket-taker in 2017. And even though he has found immense success on home soil, his true test awaits him overseas in 2018.
– Varun Kumar | SpreadSports
