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IND vs ENG: Chahal takes baby steps in big league

Twenty-six-year-old says he bowls with new ball in nets; gets positive vibe whenever in Bengaluru

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India’s Yuzvendra Chahal won man of the series award in his first home rubber
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After becoming only the second bowler in T20 International history to take six wickets on Wednesday night, Haryana leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was cradled by neighbouring state Punjab's Yuvraj Singh and was joined later by Suresh Raina.

Chahal sat in Yuvraj's and Raina's arms blushing. He is still taking baby steps in international cricket. He was playing only his second T20 series, and first at home and first since the Zimbabwe tour last June. His only other international series was the three-match ODI rubber, also in Zimbabwe.

To take the third best T20I bowling figures of 6/25 in only his sixth T20 international speaks volumes of his confidence level that's largely derived from having Virat Kohli as the captain.

Playing his first home series gave anxious moments for the 26-year-old Chahal, who took 2/27 in a losing cause in Kanpur and went wicketless in Nagpur before the magical figures in the decider in Bengaluru, his second home.

However, opening the bowling in the next two games has only boosted his confidence and repaid the faith Kohli had in him.

"I bowl with the new ball in the nets. Even though I don't get that much to turn the ball, the plus point with the new ball is that when you bowl the slider, the ball skids.

"With the seam of the new ball more pronounced, there are more chances of the ball turning. And, I found the length perfect today (Wednesday in Bengaluru) and the ball also turned," Chahal explained after his man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series performance.

Chahal had to largely sit out of the state matches due to the presence of the senior leg-spinner Amit Mishra and would get chances only when the Test bowler was on national duty. In Nagpur and Bengaluru, Chahal had the chance to play alongside his statemate and even outshine him.

Though, it was cue taken from Mishra that helped him take wickets in a hurry and trigger the England collapse of eight wickets for eight runs. After an opening spell of 2-0-19-1, Chahal returned for a devastating second spell of 2-0-6-5.

Chahal said: "When England bowled, the ball was turning, gripping, stopping. With the ball, I tried to bowl fuller as Jason Roy and Sam Billings would play shots. I observed Mishy vary his pace and derived confidence from the turn he got. I knew there was something in the pitch. I planned my wickets after seeing Mishy bowl and how he was varying the pace."

Chahal also gained confidence from the fact that he was playing at Chinnaswamy Stadium, the home of Royal Challengers Bangalore, the IPL team that Chahal has been playing regularly since 2014 edition.

"Whenever I come to Bengaluru, I get a positive vibe. I feel at home. I have been playing here in IPL for three seasons. My plan for the day was to take three wickets and go for 40 runs in four overs."

But Chahal got more than what he had bargained for. He also got the backing of captain Kohli, also his RCB skipper.

Kohli said, "We have a lot of spinners available in middle overs who are wicket-taking bowlers. They are not just run-containing bowlers. That's why I would back Chahal any day. That's why I play him in most of the IPL games.

"He never says no to any situation. Be it bowling with new ball or in the middle overs. Having guys like him is priceless. That's why he ends up taking more wickets than conceding dot balls. I tell them not to worry if they are hit for six. I tell them to go for wickets."

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