"Charge towards Virat Kohli and say whatever you want" - Yuzvendra Chahal reveals how Daniel Vettori's unique advice saved him from referee troubles

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has divulged some fascinating insights into his early IPL career with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He also revealed his interactions with Virat Kohli and then head coach Daniel Vettori.

In an interaction with fellow spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube show "DRS with Ash", Chahal revealed that he was very aggressive when he first joined RCB in 2014. He said he and Vettori used to get into trouble with the match referee for accosting batters and giving them send-offs.

Chahal said:

"I have known Virat bhaiya since our Under-15 days. We played in Under-15 together for one year... When I joined RCB in 2014, I was a little nervous. He will be standing at covers, fully energetic, as always. I was a youngster and had that aggression in me as well. So in those days, whenever I used to take a wicket, I would charge aggressively towards the batsman. It happened 2-3 times and the match referee complained to Daniel Vettori."

Chahal further revealed that he went a bit overboard once, which prompted Vettori to come up with a unique solution. The former New Zealand spinner asked Chahal to charge towards Kohli at covers instead of the batters.

The leg-spinner elaborated:

"In one match, something slipped out of my tongue... I won't say it here (chuckles). Then Vettori sir came to me and he said, 'This is not good. You have the potential [only] if you can change this thing. If you want to charge at someone then do it towards covers, Virat stands there, say whatever you want to him, he won't mind!'"

The incident made him realize how contagious Kohli's energy and positivity are on the field. The 31-year-old then hailed Kohli for believing in him, backing his plans and field placements, and giving the confidence that youngsters yearn for.

He said:

"From there I realized that he used to radiate energy with his positivity. And he never tried to change me, in the sense that he never told me 'Yuzi bowl like this or that.' We always had two plans but the first would also be mine. He used to ask me to plan however I want to and it really helps you as a bowler. He used to give me whatever field I would ask for... That really gives you a lot of confidence when it comes from a big player like him who's also the captain."

Chahal played for eight years (2014-2021) under Kohli's captaincy at the RCB, becoming the top wicket-taker for the franchise with 139 scalps. RCB didn't win any trophies in this phase but both Kohli and Chahal became almost synonymous with the team following their consistent performances.

"Yuzi, chill. Even if you get hit for six sixes it's no big deal" - Yuzvendra Chahal reveals on-field chat with Virat Kohli

Recalling another example of Kohli's supportive leadership, Chahal said Kohli gave him a free pass to be aggressive in his first season itself.

He remembered how he got hit for three consecutive sixes by Suresh Raina but Kohli's advice to "chill" and "bowl your best balls" helped him dismiss both Raina and MS Dhoni.

He said:

"I was playing a match against Chennai in my first season. And Raina bhaiya hit me for three consecutive sixes which didn't happen to me before that. Virat bhaiya came from long-on and said, 'Yuzi, chill. Even if you get hit for six sixes it's no big deal but keep bowling your best balls, don't try to be defensive.' And then I got Raina bhaiya out on the fourth ball before dismissing Mahi bhai in the next over."

Chahal wasn't named in RCB's three retentions for IPL 2022 and is likely to invite a bidding war at the upcoming auction.