3 reasons why Yuzvendra Chahal's form is a worry for Rajasthan Royals

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has deviated from his menacing, wily self and is struggling of late. Among the most successful T20I bowlers, he failed to make an appearance at the T20 World Cup 2022, despite the majority of leg-spinners having a field day over the course of the tournament in Australia. He has also been erratic at best over the course of the last six months.

He claimed wickets at will in his maiden season for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), which earned him his first Purple Cap with 28 wickets to his name. The Haryana-born cricketer played a key role in the franchise's progress to their first final since 2008.

His most recent outing arguably embodies 'Chahal 2.0', a far-less lethal version who is still finding his stride despite claiming 295 wickets in the shortest format of the game.

The aforementioned recent display came during the first T20I against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium. While his Purple Cap rival from 2022, Wanindu Hasaranga finished with 1-22, Chahal only bowled two overs, conceding 26 runs with no wickets in return.

The leg-spinner's recent set of tame displays will undoubtedly be monitored by the Royals. Here are three reasons why they should be worried about what they see.

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#1 Lack of wickets in recent times

Chahal has gone into a shell with his bowling approach

Only considering the last 10 matches, Chahal has ended up wicketless across half of those games. He holds a T20 career average of 23.96 and a strike rate of 18.9. The impressive strike rate suggests that Chahal claims a wicket in every three overs. However, that has not been the case in recent times.

Since the 2022 Asia Cup, Chahal has claimed eight wickets at a strike rate of 25. In comparison, in his illustrious IPL 2022 campaign, he ended with a strike rate of 15.11.

A major reason behind the stark difference in numbers could potentially be due to a change in approach triggered by fear. Chahal has failed to hold onto his position in the Team India setup. He has been upstaged by the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and other spin-bowling all-rounders of late when it counts. That is, however, not the case with his IPL franchise, where he is the premier spinner.

It is well-documented that Chahal performs at his best when he floats the ball up, gets some grip off the surface, and entices batters to play expansive strokes. While it is a double-edged sword approach, it has been a formula that has worked well for him in the past.

In recent times, though, he has often bowled flat, not giving the batter any room by sliding it down to the stumps and employing a rather defensive approach. From RR's perspective, they already have Ashwin as a defensive spinner, a role he has played well in the past.

Moreover, the success of the combination has risen from the contrasting nature of the two spinners. Should they bowl in a similar fashion, it may be imploding for the side.

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#2 RR's spin bowling unit lives and dies with Chahal

The ace bowler was the leading wicket-taker of IPL 2022

RR's success with their revamped team in 2022 had a lot to do with the performance of their spinners. Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal plugged the middle overs with their innate run-blocking and wicket-taking abilities respectively.

A potential imbalance in that formula could upscale the entire bowling unit. Should the worst-case scenario arise where the 32-year-old has to be dropped from the playing XI due to poor form, the alternatives that RR have are Murugan Ashwin and Adam Zampa.

The Tamil Nadu-born spinner has not proven to be a reliable spinner so far, with his poor 2022 season with the Mumbai Indians (MI) testament to the fact. While Zampa is among the leading T20 leg-spinners in the world, his inclusion in the playing XI in place of the Indian spinner will claim one out of the four overseas spots.

Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, and Trent Boult are primed to be the four overseas starters for the franchise. All four of them are crucial for the franchise in terms of impact and balance, leading to a very tricky selection call for the management should the time come when they have to cross the bridge.

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#3 Reliability factor wearing off with inconsistency

The leg-spinner has a key role to play for RR in IPL 2023

During his prime, Yuzvendra Chahal was arguably among the first names on the team sheet, whether it be in franchise cricket or at the international level. With his rise being among the best a leg-spinner made in the shortest format, he became a household name, which was backed by his performances as well.

However, of late, the invincibility has largely been shunned as a result of his inconsistency. He has finished with an economy of over 10 in four out of his last six matches. To make matters worse, he has not been among the wickets to justify the excess runs conceded.

He has also not completed his full quota of overs on several occasions in 2022, which reflects the faith that captains have in him now. There was a time when Team India could not have imagined their T20 playing XI without Chahal.

Now, with a robust pool of spinners available at their disposal, the Haryana-born player is no longer a guaranteed starter by any means.

A concerned RR will keep a keen set of eyes on the homegoing home season, as it could make or break for Yuzvendra Chahal.

Will the leg-spinner regain his old touch in time for the 2023 IPL? Let us know what you think.

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