Chahal, who recently became the first player to reach 200 IPL wickets, expressed his gratitude for the achievement, stating, “It is a big achievement. I never thought I would reach the top.Right now, the focus is on the team, what I can do to win the games for them and take wickets.”
Chahal’s milestone came during the match against Mumbai Indians on April 22, when he caught and bowled Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammed Nabi for 23 runs. In his IPL career spanning 153 matches, Chahal has taken 200 wickets at an average of 21.37, with best figures of 5/40. He has played for Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and currently represents Rajasthan Royals.
The spinner also discussed how playing chess at the youth level for India has influenced his cricketing approach, giving him patience on the field. He enjoys playing chess with teammates Ravichandran Ashwin and Jos Buttler.
“Chess has given me patience. Sometimes you do not get wickets on good balls. It goes on for matches. Just like you plan your moves in chess, the same goes for cricket and you have to stay a step ahead of batters,” Chahal explained.
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At 34 years old, Chahal believes he has matured with age but still maintains his fun-loving personality and enjoys playing pranks on his teammates. “I have not changed a lot. Maybe I am a little older and got a little more beard. I have mostly stayed the same, fun-loving, prank-doing guy. Maybe, I should have batted more (laughs),” he added.
(Inputs from ANI)
