IPL 2021: “Yuzvendra Chahal seems to have worked on his bowling during the off-time” – Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli has lauded Yuzvendra Chahal, for his consistent performances in the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. After RCB's defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 52nd match of the tournament in Abu Dhabi, Virat Kohli said that the 31-year-old leg-spinner must have worked on his bowling during the layoff.

Yuzvendra Chahal returned with figures of 4-0-27-1 on Wednesday to restrict SRH to 141. However, in response, RCB could only manage 136-7. Nevertheless, Chahal's return to form is very heartening for the Kohli and co.

In the first half of IPL 2021 in India, Chahal had four wickets in seven innings at an average of 47.5, going at 8.3 per over. In the UAE leg, he has taken 11 wickets from six matches, at under six an over.

“Chahal’s bowling pretty well now. It looks like he has worked on his bowling with all the time off. He’s back to bowling the way we know he can bowl. Him bowling well is a good sign for the team ,and we hope he can continue to do so. He has truly been magnificent with the ball,” said Virat Kohli after RCB’s loss against SRH.

Chahal's inconsistent run in the past two-and-a-half years has resulted in him getting dropped from India's T20 World Cup squad. His consistent showing may force national selectors to revisit their plans when they finalise the squad before October 10.

Virat Kohli also had words of encouragement for SRH's rookie pacer Umran Malik, who has consistently clocked speeds above 90 mph. The 21-year-old, hailing from Jammu & Kashmir, picked up his maiden IPL wicket on Tuesday, giving away only 21 runs in four overs.

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“This tournament throws up talent every year, and good to see a guy bowling at 150 clicks. It is important to understand the progress of individuals going forward, like maintaining the body and getting the best out of them."

"The pool of strong, fast bowlers is always going to be a good thing for Indian cricket. And whenever you see talent like this, you will have your eye on them, and there will be a need to maximise their potential,” added Virat Kohli.

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Glenn Maxwell's wicket was the turning point: Virat Kohli

Chasing 142, RCB lost Virat Kohli in the first over, and were soon reeling at 18 for two in the fourth over. Glenn Maxwell brought them back into the contest before perishing to a runout after slamming a 25-ball 40. AB de Villiers (19*) and Shahbaz Ahmed, though, failed to carry RCB over the line.

Speaking about his team's defeat against SRH, Virat Kohli said:

“The intent (for low-score chases) has to be to get it done as soon as possible. You don’t want to stretch these games too deep. Having lost a couple of early wickets, rebuilding was key. Padikkal and Maxwell did that beautifully for us. I think Maxi’s runout was a game-changing moment. He was in the zone for a couple of big overs. With AB, you are never out of the game, but it is about making sure that the guy who’s in the flow should be on strike.

“It’s a game of small margins. We were good with the ball, but not as effective when chasing that down. Shahbaz played a crucial knock at that stage. It is a game of small margins, and things could have gone in any direction. I think Sunrisers held their nerve and bowled their last few deliveries pretty well not to allow us to get away.”

The defeat will make it difficult for RCB to finish the league stage of IPL 2021 in the top two. They will play their final league game against table-toppers Delhi Capitals (DC) on Friday in Dubai.