The Best of Yuzvendra Chahal
The IPL over the years has managed to create a platform for players to become superstars. One such success story is that of RCB’s Yuzvendra Chahal. The leggie from Haryana who had previously represented Mumbai Indians was picked up in the auction for the 2014 season by Royal Challengers Bangalore and has since not looked back. Over the past 6 years, he has established his position as the premium spinner in the RCB lineup.
His performances for RCB did not go unnoticed, and the same holds true for Team India. The daring leg-spinner who never shies away from flighting the ball and getting hit if it is a ploy to get a wicket, has turned into a prime asset for RCB. One to outsmart the batsmen with his skill and guile rather than prodigious turn, Chahal is a captain’s dream. Be it the powerplay where the captain is looking for a quiet over or an early breakthrough, the middle overs or the death overs, the skipper can bank on Chahal to deliver.
Chahal was the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2016 with 21 wickets
We take look at three of Chahal’s most memorable performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore -
3/19 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Lions, May 14 2016
Although this game is remembered for the onslaught by Ab De Villiers and Virat Kohli as RCB put up a massive 248 batting first, the contribution of Yuzvendra Chahal was crucial. Firstly, he dismissed the Gujarat Lions skipper Brendon McCullum in the fifth over of the innings, to ensure there was no repeat of his 2008 heroics. He then went on to break the Gujarat Lions middle order backbone in Dwayne Bravo and Akshdeep Nath. The record win by a margin of 144 runs gave Bangalore the highest NRR in the tournament when every point was crucial for the team to qualify for the playoffs.
4/25 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab, May 18 2016
Chahal recorded his best-ever figures in the IPL against Kings XI Punjab. Batting first and riding on Captain Kohli’s magnificent ton, RCB posted a mammoth 211 in 15 overs in a rain-curtailed game. Chahal’s heroics with the ball ensured that there was no upset on the cards, as RCB romped home to an 82-run win by the DRS method. A team that looked down and out suddenly found itself in the second spot on the table.
The 2016 season of the IPL was also Yuzvendra Chahal’s most productive, as he picked up 21 wickets in 13 games, and finished second only to Bhuvaneshwar Kumar in the race for the purple cap.
2/28 - Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 12 2018
Chahal had dismissed Jason Roy in the reverse fixture in the 2018 season, and he was again entrusted with the new ball to get rid of the threat at the top. Chahal did not disappoint, as he bamboozled Jason Roy. The googly spun through Roy’s bat and pad and knocked over his stumps. Chahal also managed to bag the prized wicket of Roy’s opening partner, the dangerous Prithvi Shaw, with a slider that castled the stumps. The Daredevils managed to put up 181 on the board, which the Royal Challengers chased down easily in 19 overs.
Yuzvendra Chahal has turned out to be a dependable weapon whenever the team needs him. Chahal will once again be the spin spearhead for RCB in the IPL 2020.
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