Yuzvendra Chahal’s journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed a significant shift in 2022 when he moved from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to Rajasthan Royals. Despite his immense contribution to RCB’s success from 2014 to 2021, Chahal found himself excluded from the franchise’s retention list, a decision that surprised many given his status as one of the league’s most successful players.
His departure left fans and analysts puzzled, especially considering his stellar performance record and status as a match-winner for RCB. Mike Hesson, the former director of cricket at RCB, shed light on the decision-making process behind Chahal’s departure, attributing it to strategic considerations. Despite this setback, Chahal continued to shine in the IPL, recently achieving the remarkable milestone of 200 wickets, a testament to his skill and consistency as a leg-spinner.
This milestone, achieved during a match against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, further solidified his legacy in the league.
Yuzvendra Chahal has claimed 200 IPL wickets
Mike Hesson said: “We didn’t retain Chahal because retaining just three players gave the team an extra four crore rupees to spend, through which we aimed to buy back both Chahal and Harshal Patel.”
“Yuzi is one I will be frustrated with until I have finished my career and probably beyond. He is an outstanding bowler. I guess when it comes to every cycle, you have got to decide who you are going to retain. It was one of those things where if you only retain three players, you give yourself an extra 4 crore in the auction. That potentially gave us the chance to get both Harshal and Yuzi.”
Chahal’s IPL journey began with Mumbai Indians in 2011 but gained prominence after joining RCB in 2014, where he became a key player under the leadership of Virat Kohli. His transition to Rajasthan Royals marked a new chapter in his IPL career, showcasing his adaptability and resilience in the ever-evolving landscape of professional cricket.
Hesson concluded by saying: “Then the order of the auction came up and Yuzvendra Chahal was at no. 65. Because we had retained that many players we were going to get bullied. After Yuzi there was no other spinner we were interested in. We were obviously interested in Hasaranga as another option if we did not get Yuzi. So we bid for him upfront and then once we hot Hasaranga that meant we could not go for Yuzi.”
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