In-form Chahal has clear message for selection committee

The 34-year-old Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has sent a clear message to Indian selectors for the red-ball format.

Yuzvendra Chahal is one of the important spinners for India in white-ball cricket. After making his international cricket debut in 2016, he has played 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, where he has picked up 121 and 96 wickets, respectively. He is the leading T20I wicket-taker for India. 

Chahal hasn’t played any international matches for India this year. Although he was selected in the Indian squad for the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and United States, he didn’t get a chance in any playing XIs. Chahal’s last international match for team India was in August 2023 during the Lauderhill T20I against West Indies. 

Although Chahal hasn’t made his Test debut yet, he is currently in good form in red-ball cricket. Recently, Chahal served for the English County team Northamptonshire. He played one List A and four first-class cricket matches for Northamptonshire, where the leg-spinner picked up five and 19 wickets, respectively. 

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I wanted to show how good I am: Yuzvendra Chahal

As India will tour England for a five-match Test series in the 2025 summer, confident Chahal is ready for this challenge. 

Chahal told the Times of India, "County cricket is tough cricket. It gave me an opportunity to showcase my skills against a very good standard of cricket. With India touring England next year, I wanted to show how good I am." 

Chahal produced his best bowling figures in first-class cricket career

Chahal started the short journey for Northamptonshire this season with a List A game against Kent, where the Indian leg-spinner claimed a five-wicket haul (5/14). Although he took only one wicket in the next two first-class matches, Chahal stormed in the next two first-class fixtures. 

Against Derbyshire, Chahal produced his best bowling figures in a first-class match by picking up nine wickets for 99 runs (5/45 and 4/54), including one fifer. Northamptonshire won that match, which was their first win in the County Championship Division Two 2024. 

Later, against Leicestershire, Chahal once again took nine wickets (4/82 and 5/134), including another fifer. Northamptonshire won that match too.