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'When I stood behind wickets for Chahal, I noticed...': Parthiv Patel makes key observation on spinner's bowling mindset
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel made an interesting observation
Team India produced a brilliant performance against South Africa in the third T20I at Vizag, staying alive in the series with a 48-run win. Posting 179/6 on the board, India folded the visitors to 131 with Harshal Patel taking four wickets, while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal registered impressive figures of 3/20 in four overs. This was India's first win in the series, as Rishabh Pant-led side trails 1-2 in the five-match rubber.
Yuzvendra Chahal took the all-important wickets of Dwaine Pretorius (20), Rassie van der Dussen (1), and the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen (29) in his four-over spell, laying the foundation for India's terrific win at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Vizag. The leg-spinner had been fairly expensive in the first two games of the series, and his return to wicket-taking will give India a massive boost as they eye staging a comeback.
Chahal had bowled only 2.1 overs in the first T20I in Delhi – a decision which was criticised by many – as he conceded 26 runs; in the second T20I, Chahal conceded 49 runs in his four-over spell, picking a wicket. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel made an interesting observation on Chahal's bowling, recounting his own experience of keeping the wickets for the leg-spinner.
Patel played alongside Chahal during the duo's stint with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.
“When I used to keep for him behind the wickets, I noticed that whenever his delivery pitched along the line of stumps, he has come with an attacking mindset,” Patel said on Cricbuzz.
“In the last two matches, he either bowled significantly outside the off-stump or bowled quick. When he bowls slow and starts with the stump line, it means that his mindset is changed. He is going for the wickets, he isn't bowling with a defensive approach then,” Patel further said.
Chahal was the highest wicket-taker in the recently-concluded IPL 2022, with 27 wickets to his name in 17 games. Team India will return to action in the fourth T20I of the series in Rajkot on Friday.
