It was a perfect start for Rohit Sharma as the permanent captain of India's ODI side as Team India dismantled the West Indies by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The occasion will be remembered on a happy note for India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who became the second-fastest Indian spinner to scalp a century of wickets in ODI, with only Kuldeep Yadav achieving the accolade faster. Speaking in the post-match, captain Rohit pulled Chahal's leg by reminding him of the upcoming auctions as the spinner faces an anxious wait on which franchise picks him, while he was also delighted to reach the milestone.
“It feels great. My career has seen ups and downs in the last five years. But it’s a good feeling when you take 100 wickets in any format, it’s a big thing. I had never imagined I will achieve it this early. I continued bowling with the same approach,” Chahal said in the interaction with Rohit on bcci.tv.
“I have changed the angle a bit, especially for slow wickets. When I was not a part of the team, I was thinking about the improvement I can bring in my bowling. I used to see other bowlers who used to get a bit side arm for these wickets, so I also noticed that the release is much quicker and there is more effort from the wrist in that case,” Chahal added.
While Chahal was focused on his on-field work, Rohit wasn't sitting back as he reminded Chahal that he is without an Indian Premier League (IPL) team. Chahal was released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the end of last season as the management decided against keeping him. On the flip side, Rohit will continue to don the colours of Mumbai Indians after he was retained by the franchise.
“You are a key player for us, I want you to play with that mindset. There will always be ups and downs. But it is very important to play with the right mindset. And the auction is coming as well, so good luck,” Rohit laughed and advised Chahal.
Chahal, 31, will be out to prove his worth with the national team as he ended with figures of 49/4 along with Washington Sundar (30/3) as they both steered Team India to a win in their 1000th ODI. It took 60 matches for the right-arm spinner to achieve the feat, two more than Kuldeep, while he got to the milestone faster than former World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh. Chahal would like to continue his impressive form in the series as the Men in Blue will next take the field on Wednesday (February 9) at the same venue while the auctions for the IPL will take place on February 12 and 13.
