MUMBAI: Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who took 4/47 - the best bowling figures by an Indian in an ODI at Lord's - in India's 100-run defeat to England on Thursday, is rapidly growing in stature as a top tweaker in white-ball cricket. In the T20I series preceding the ODIs in England, Chahal returned figures of 2/10 in Birmingham and 2/32 in Southampton.
Among those impressed by Chahal is former Australia Chinaman bowler Brad Hogg. "He's up there. I think leg-spin in T20 cricket is probably the most effective option, especially in those middle overs," Hogg said here on Friday. Hogg praised the way Chahal, who has taken 108 wickets in 63 ODIs @ 26.95, and 79 scalps in 62 T20Is @ 8.09, has evolved after going through a bit of a lean phase, which saw him being dropped from India's T20 World Cup side.
"The thing I like about Chahal is he is up there with the best, just the way he has adapted his game in the past couple of years. He had a period there where he got found out, but then he has found a method to rebuild himself and get back into the contest. He has grown as an individual as well. So that's another reason India are favourites to win the T20 World Cup, his growth over the last year or two. He is going to have a better tournament in Australia," Hogg said on the sidelines of a Western Australia tourism event.
The 51-year-old also criticised South Africa's decision to pull out of the ODI series in Australia next January because it's clashing with their new T20 competition. "They (South Africa) have pulled out of the tour to Australia (ODIs) for their T20 competition, for me that is disappointing," Hogg said.
