Yuzvendra Chahal, despite being left out of India’s 17-member Asia Cup squad and the 15-man World Cup squad, is proving that his leg-spin skills are as potent as ever. While the Indian team battled Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super 4 match in Colombo, Chahal showcased his artistry on the County Championship debut for Kent.
Chahal made a significant impact by claiming three wickets during Nottinghamshire’s first innings, leaving them struggling at 219 for 8 on the second day of the game. One of his dismissals, in particular, was remarkable – the clean bowled of Lyndon James. Bowling over the wicket to the right-hander, Chahal enticed James to come forward for a front-foot defensive shot.
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However, the delivery pitched on the middle stump and sharply turned to uproot the off stump, leaving James bamboozled. Yuzvendra Chahal had recently been part of India’s T20 squad during the West Indies tour, where he performed admirably by taking five wickets, despite India losing the series 2-3.
What. A. Delivery.
Yuzvendra Chahal takes his first wicket in the #LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/FnqLO5UPnF
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 11, 2023
After not being included in India’s World Cup squad, the 33-year-old leg-spinner decided to continue honing his skills and accepted a stint in the County Championship with Kent. He made his red-ball cricket return after a gap of 14 months. Reflecting on his experience, Chahal mentioned that despite the challenges of adapting to different conditions, it was a valuable learning experience for him.
Kent signed the Indian leg-spinner for the ongoing season, and Chahal made a significant impact in his debut County Championship appearance. He didn’t take long to make an impression, taking his first wicket with an extraordinary delivery that left Lyndon James baffled.
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Yuzvendra Chahal’s stellar performance continued as he quickly added two more wickets, finishing with impressive figures of 3/52 while the innings was still in progress. Chahal’s County Championship debut demonstrated his ability to adapt and excel in different formats. Despite not being part of India’s World Cup plans, he has continued to work on his craft and showcased his leg-spin prowess on the County Championship stage.
