I don’t bowl to escape with cheap economy: Chahal
centurion — Yuzvendra Chahal developed a knack of trading wickets for runs while playing IPL games on a bowler’s graveyard like Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is now proving to be handy during India’s ongoing ODI series against South Africa.
Chahal has picked seven wickets in the first two ODIs including his maiden five-for in the second game.
The Haryana bowler asserted that the skipper and team management back him to go for wickets in the middle overs, and he doesn’t mind being hit for a few runs.
“I go for wickets and I flight the ball. I know it can go for six too, but when your captain and your team management back you, it gives you the confidence to do it. I have played in Bangalore for RCB on flatter wickets than this, so you have to play to your strengths here,” said Chahal after his man of the match display on Sunday.
“If you worry about the batsmen or their stature, then you cannot play to your strengths. This is a routine for me. In IPL too, I have gone for 40 runs in 4 overs. But even then I feel that I have been hit on good balls.
“I don’t bowl to escape with cheap economy. My strength is to bowl to take wickets and that is why I am in the team,” he added.
Chahal took career-best 5-22 as South Africa were once again routed in the second ODI at Centurion. He shared eight wickets with Kuldeep Yadav as the Proteas were bowled out for 118 runs, their lowest ODI score on home soil.
“Whenever Kuldeep or I come on to bowl, we only think about taking wickets. We are in the team to take wickets in the middle overs.
“We don’t mind giving away 65-70 runs in 10 overs but if we can take 2-3 wickets that’s more helpful from our point of view. If we take wickets in middle overs then you will see the opposition is under pressure,” Chahal said.
Though he has toured South Africa with India A, Chahal said he doesn’t worry about the conditions.