'Even I fail to read your bowling': MI captain's words that turned things for Rahul Chahar against KKR in IPL 2021
Rohit Sharma's words worked wonders for both Rahul Chahar and MI as the young leg-spinner picked up 4 wickets against KKR to derail their chase despite getting off to a good start in the IPL 2021 match No.5 in Chennai on Tuesday.
Player of the Match Rahul Chahar said Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma gave him confidence by saying that sometimes even he fails to read the leg-spinner’s bowling. Rohit’s words worked wonders for both Rahul and MI as the young leg-spinner picked up 4 wickets against KKR to derail their chase despite getting off to a good start in the IPL 2021 match No.5 in Chennai on Tuesday.
Chahar finished with impressive figures of 4 for 27 in his 4 overs to lead the defending champions to a 10-run win despite playing catch up for the better part of the match. Chahar said Rohit told him to bowl with confidence and hit the right areas.
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"Rohit told me that 'bowl with the confidence and sometimes even I fail to read your ball so how would they. Stay focused and hit the right lengths'. I knew that spinner is gonna be a game-changer in this match. I had the confidence that I can do that," Chahar said at the post-match press conference.
Left-armer Krunal Pandya too bowled economically and just gave 12 runs in his four overs including a wicket of Shakib Al Hasan.
"We both bowled well. Krunal did not give many runs in his spell. In the last match it was not like this but this time there was help from the wicket for spinners. We will play the main role if we get these kinds of wickets," Chahar said.
The leg-spinner who was hit for a four and a six by Shubman Gill in his first over, said he enjoyed Rahul Tripathi’s wicket the most.
"I enjoyed Rahul Tripathi's wicket most as that ball turned well. As a leg-spinner, you want that kind of turn and it was exactly like that," he added.
When asked about did he feel any pressure bowling in such a tight game against international stars, he said, "I was bowling to Indian players in the nets so there was no such pressure in bowling against international stars. This is my fourth year in MI and in the nets also I bowl to Pollard, Hardik who are among the best hitters in the world."