Having made his international debut back in June 2016, India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has come a long way. He has claimed 71 wickets at an average of 23.83 in 40 ODIs thus far, while his T20I wicket-tally read 45 in 29 games with two four-wicket hauls and one 5-fer.
Chahal had to wait till the last game of the recently held ODI series against Australia to get a chance, but he finished with figures of 6/42 from his 10 overs to demolish the hosts batting line-up in the series-decider at MCG. The 28-year-old followed that up with 9 wickets from 5 ODIs against New Zealand.
As Team India gearing up to face Australia in white-ball cricket at home, Chahal believes the series will be a good preparation for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, slated to be held in England and Wales from May 30.
“The wickets will be an advantage as the wickets are slow and take turn which you don’t get in Australia. Also, since we won the series in Australia so the pressure will be on them,” Chahal told Hindustan Times.
“Obviously it will be important because this will be the last series before the World Cup. After this we only have the IPL and then the World Cup. So that makes this series all the more important and that too against a side like Australia.
“This is the last series before the World Cup so my personal goal is to finish on a high and come back strongly in the showpiece event. It gives you immense confidence,” he added.
When asked if there will be an added pressure as the Men in Blue will go into the event with favourites tag, Chahal replied: “Depends on how you handle the pressure. Pressure is always there to perform, be it the World Cup or any other tournament. It depends on individuals on how they handle the pressure.”
While Yuzvendra Chahal’s camaraderie with Rohit Sharma is there to see for the world on social media, his bond with skipper Virat Kohli goes back to the time when he was first picked to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Sharing his experience of playing under Rohit and Kohli, Chahal said: “They have their own style. While Virat bhai looks a little aggressive on the field like a warrior, Rohit bhaiya looks calmer and is in Zen mode. But both are top-class when it comes to their skills. The best part is that both give the bowlers the freedom to set our own fields and express ourselves. They are always there to back us when the going is a bit tough and are equally appreciative when we bowl well.”
Chahal, who has often credited MS Dhoni for his success in limited-overs cricket, also commented on the much talked about topic of veteran wicketkeeper’s retirement post 2019 World Cup.
“He has been playing for 10-15 years and has also been the captain for a long time. Whether he decides to retire after the World Cup or not is his call, but we are all looking forward to the tournament. Our team is also the best this time round,” he said.
