File photo of Virat Kohli (centre) with Yuzvendra Chahal (far left).
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli was all praise of Yuzvendra Chahal who was the key behind his team’s win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League 2020 opener in Dubai on Monday.
The wrist-spinner just conceded 18 runs to pick three wickets including all-important wickets of Jonny Bairstow (61 runs off 43 balls) and Manish Pandey (34 off 33) after the duo stitched a 71-run stand for the second wicket.
Bairstow’s wicket, whom Chahal clean bowled, came at a crucial juncture when the side needed 43 runs from the remaining five overs.
Kohli felt Chahal has the quality to turn the ball on any surface and that came handy again when dew came into play in the second innings.
“Tonight he showed when other spinners couldn’t show too much off the pitch. He showed if you have skills in the wrist and then you can get purchase on any track and that’s why he bowls well in Bangalore too,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Tonight dew was a big factor too and the pitch was decent to bat on in the second half; much better than the first half. The way he came in backed his skill — got the ball to turn and bowled attacking lines — I think he was the one who changed the game.”
