Despite the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batting firing big time thanks to skipper Virat Kohli, still leggie Yuzvendra Chahal feels his side’s bowlers have also played a crucial role in the team’s turnaround in the 2016 IPL.
“In last two games, the bowlers have done a really good job because in earlier games bowling was the concern and we were facing combination problems too. Now, the combination is right and bowlers are bowling in right areas. We have improved our bowling and erased the tag of having a weak bowling line up,” Chahal told reporters at post-match press conference after RCB’s 82-run win over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at Bengaluru on Wednesday.
“When Jordan came into the team, the first two matches did not go well for him. The way he bowled in Mohali and in the last match against KKR it helped the team, especially when you have Watson and Jordon it helps,” he said.
Chahal said he felt ‘lucky’ to have Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Shane Watson in his team instead of bowling at them.
“Yeah (I don’t feel like to bowl at them). The top four batsmen — Watson, Gayle, Virat and AB — are in my team. So, I feel I am lucky,” he said. Asked what he thought the secret of Kohli’s success in this IPL, Chahal said, “He is working on his fitness and spends lot of time in the gym, and also in nets. After the batting, he bats on the centre wicket to practise hitting sixes. He has worked hard and hence he has made over 400 runs this IPL.”
Chahal added that Kohli gave him freedom to bowl, but he would insist on not giving away sixes. “When he tosses the ball to me, he tells me not to give away sixes, but bowl freely. Against KXIP, I went after wickets because we had a big total on hands. He just told me to bowl the way I bowl,” he concluded.
