Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Champions Waali Commentary’, JioStar expert Ravichandran Ashwin recalled a humorous story about Yuzvendra Chahal’s constant request to open the innings:
“We spent three seasons together at Rajasthan Royals. I have noticed that wherever he goes, he keeps asking to open the batting. I remember padding up because RR used to send me up the order. But Chahal would walk up and tell me to take the pads off because he wanted to go out to bat instead. If he goes out to face the new ball against Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, who is going to bowl for us? More importantly, he might end up hurting himself against that kind of pace.”
Ravichandran Ashwin shared another hilarious anecdote on Chahal’s belief in his batting abilities:
“Chahal once told me that he used to bat during his U19 days and even claimed to have scored a hundred back then. He said that in a high-pressure situation, if the team needs someone to step up, they should send him in. But honestly, my question is simple, “Where is Chahal going to find the power to clear the boundary?”
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Champions Waali Commentary’, JioStar expert Suresh Raina revealed how Chahal often reminds him of that straight drive in England:
“There was a match against England at Lord’s where Chahal played a straight drive for four. Whenever I meet him, he always says, ‘Raina bhai, you remember that straight drive I hit in England?’. Along with that, he is a master at taking bats too. He sneakily takes away bats from our kit bag, whether it’s a match bat or a practice bat.”
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Champions Waali Commentary’, JioStar expert Irfan Pathan expressed concern over Jasprit Bumrah’s poor form this TATA IPL season:
“Last season, Jasprit Bumrah picked up 18 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of just 6.7. This season, though, he has really struggled. He has only 3 wickets in 10 games, and his economy is on the higher side as well. When wickets don’t come, the economy rate naturally suffers. Right now, his bowling average is 105. Nobody expected a bowler of Bumrah’s class to have such poor numbers. Especially after his brilliant performance in the T20 World Cup, watching him struggle like this is very painful.”
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Champions Waali Commentary’, Ravi Shastri weighed in on the possible reasons behind Jasprit Bumrah’s struggles:
“Bumrah has entered this IPL off the back of a heavy workload with the Indian team over the last 12 months. His struggles are not just physical. Mental fatigue is a big reason. Mumbai Indians need to look after him. Over the next two years, there is a packed schedule, multiple Test series and the 50-over World Cup are coming up. So, his fitness and workload will have to be managed very carefully.”
Catch more such insights, daily throughout this TATA IPL, only on JioStar’s ‘Champions Waali Commentary’
