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Yuzvendra Chahal: Virat Kohli’s aggression spreads positivity on field

Yuzvendra Chahal was rewarded with an opportunity to play against England in the T20I series as well as the first warm-up match to be played in Mumbai.

Yuzvendra Chahal was playing under Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL © AFP
Yuzvendra Chahal played under Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL © AFP

“I have played under Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), for three years. I know his brand of cricket. Hence, we bond well,” said Yuzvendra Chahal on the sidelines of the ongoing 13th DY Patil T20 Cup. Chahal’s captain in Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise RCB, Kohli, was appointed India’s captain in the limited-overs format on Friday. Chahal was rewarded with an opportunity to play against England in the T20I series as well as the first warm-up match to be played in Mumbai. Chahal made his ODI debut during India’s tour of Zimbabwe, under former captain MS Dhoni, who too will be playing in the warm-up game.

Chahal told CricketCountry.com, “Playing under MS Dhoni (in Zimbabwe) was a good experience. My favourite moment of MS Dhoni the captain is when he handed me the debut cap in Zimbabwe. I am excited to play T20I against England, because I’ll be playing with the full-strength side for the first time.” Chahal, like many other cricketers, is of the opinion that India’s new captain in limited-overs cricket spreads positivity. He said, “Virat Kohli is aggressive on the field. He spreads positivity. Even if the bowler goes for runs, he keeps faith in him.”

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The right-arm spinner has improved significantly in the longest format. In the Ranji Trophy 2016-17 campaign for Haryana, he claimed 33 wickets at 22.60 in 7 matches, with the best performance of 6 for 44 against Hyderabad.

Talking about his preparations for the England series, Chahal said, “My main focus is on the warm-up game. Whatever break I get after that, I’ll use it to hone my bowling skills. I’ll watch the videos of English batsmen and plan my bowling accordingly.”

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