IND v SL 2017: Yuzvendra Chahal dismisses comparisons with Jadeja and Ashwin after 3rd ODI

Chahal talked about his IPL experience and plans for Proteas series.

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal turned the match for India | AFP

Indian spin twins Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav took 3 wickets a piece to ruin Sri Lanka’s chances of a good score in the final ODI at Vizag.

Upul Tharanga hit 95 to take Sri Lanka to 215, but at one point of time, they were looking good for a total of 280 plus. But Chahal-Kuldeep duo triggered a collapse, despite Tharanga taking the attack to the bowlers; especially Hardik Pandya, who was hit for five boundaries in an over by Tharanga.

Kuldeep took 3/42 and Chahal took 3/46, with Kuldeep winning the Man of the match award.

Chahal fielded questions from reporters after the win and said that it would be unfair for him and Kuldeep to be compared to Jadeja and Ashwin.

"Ashwin and Jadeja have done so much in the last 5-6 years. We have played only for four-five series. It is unfair to compare myself and Kuldeep with them," he told reporters.

Ashwin and Jadeja have become Test specialists thanks to emergence of Kuldeep and Chahal

"Our aim is to give our best when we go out and play. If you start comparing now itself to them, it will not be right. We have played most of our games in India, one series in Sri Lanka but the conditions were similar to India. We have not played overseas," he further said.

Ashwin and Jadeja have not played ODI cricket for a long time, losing out to Chahal and Kuldeep, based on their performances.

Talking about his aim of playing Test cricket, Chahal said, "Test cricket is everybody's dream. I played seven games in the Ranji Trophy last year. Before this, I had played just one or two games. When I played last year, I performed well and it gave me confidence that I could play at the highest level."

"I have a habit of taking it one series at a time. I am not thinking about South Africa at all. My next focus will be the Twenty20 series," he added.

He credited his IPL experience for his success with Indian cricket.

"I have been bowling well in the death overs due to the IPL experience. The situation in the IPL after 13-14 overs remains the same in the ODI at this stage. I have practiced and prepared a lot in the death overs and this shows in the ground," he said.

One has to mix-up pace in ODIs. If the batsman is batting well, variation is the key. From the end I was bowling, I was not getting that much turn. My plan was to vary my pace as it will become difficult for the batsman to score," he said.

He also talked about his plans for South Africa series.

The wickets in South Africa will be good and flat but there will be some extra bounce. That is the plus point there. We have a break for a month after the T20I series and the focus will be to prepare on similar kind of wickets. I had played in South Africa for India A but never played in the major venues. This time, we will be playing in those main grounds," he said.

 

 

 

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 18 Dec, 2017

    Share Via