“Varying pace is my main weapon” - Yuzvendra Chahal

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has said that variation in pace is his main strength and also one of the secrets of his success in the T20I format.

Yuzvendra Chahal became India’s leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket when he dismissed Jos Buttler in the first T20I against England in Ahmedabad.

Speaking at a pre-match interaction ahead of the second T20I in Ahmedabad, the 30-year-old said that he believes in keeping things simple. In this regard, Yuzvendra Chahal said in an interview posted on bcci.tv:

“I just focus on my line and length. I just keep varying my pace. That is my main weapon. From the IPL, I have been working on my googlies as well.”

Yuzvendra Chahal struggled in the first T20I, conceding 44 runs in his four overs. Admitting that England opener Jason Roy got the better of him, the leg-spinner asserted that he has plans in place for the aggressive batsman. Yuzvendra Chahal elaborated:

“I think the way Jason (Roy) batted, he batted very well. He chose which ball he wanted to hit. It was the first match, so I didn’t know how he was going to play. But now, we have chalked out other plans on how to bowl to him.”

The 30-year-old also added that the pitch had nothing to do with the result of the first T20I, nor there was any dew factor. He observed in this regard:

“The pitch in the first game was the same in both the innings. It didn’t change much. It was a good wicket, and in 40 overs there is a very rare chance that a wicket is going to change. No dew, not even 1%.”

With that wicket of Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal becomes India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 6️⃣0️⃣ wickets 🤩👏#INDvENG #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/480rM93XB0

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) March 12, 2021

Yuzvendra Chahal overtakes Jasprit Bumrah to become India’s leading T20I wicket-taker

In the first T20I on Friday, Yuzvendra Chahal overtook Jasprit Bumrah to become the leading wicket-taker for India in the format. He achieved the feat by dismissing Jos Buttler leg-before wicket for 28.

Heading into the series opener in Ahmedabad, both Yuzvendra Chahal and Bumrah had 59 T20I wickets apiece. Yuzvendra Chahal did not have a great match, as he was taken apart by Jason Roy, who scored 49 off 32.

India has won the toss and they are having a bowl first in the second #INDvENG T20I. pic.twitter.com/set3PDKRl6

— ICC (@ICC) March 14, 2021

Following the first T20I against England, Yuzvendra Chahal now has 60 wickets in 46 T20Is at a strike-rate of 17.9 and a best bowling effort of 6 for 25.