3 reasons why RCB should try to get back Yuzvendra Chahal in IPL 2025 Auction
Yuzvendra Chahal could not find a place among the final retentions announced by Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction. The Royals chose to retain six players - Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, and Dhruv Jurel.
Chahal along with Ravichandran Ashwin and Jos Buttler are the top players who might be representing different teams from the next season. The auction is set to take place later this month and will witness exciting players going under the hammer.
The leading wicket-taker in IPL history with 205 scalps, Yuzvendra Chahal is expected to demand significant attention from the franchises. Although he has fallen off the national radar, he remains a key player in the cash-rich league.
It will be interesting to see if his previous franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) decide to bid for him, as they haven't retained any spinners. Let's take a look at a few reasons why RCB should think of acquiring the veteran leg-spinner.
#1 Leading wicket-taker at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
Yuzvendra Chahal began his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in 2013. However, he switched to RCB in the following season and remained with them until the 2021 season due to his consistent performances.
Chahal's breakthrough season came in 2015, where he finished with 23 scalps and played a key role to take the team to the playoffs. He continued his good form by taking 21 wickets, as RCB emerged as runner-up in 2016.
He picked up a total of 39 wickets across two seasons in 2020 and 2021, as RCB reached the playoffs on both occasions. In total, Chahal scalped 139 wickets in 113 games for the franchise. Out of those, 52 wickets came at RCB's home venue, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is the most by any bowler in the IPL history.
However, RCB decided not to retain him after the 2021 season. But, after getting released from RR, Yuzvendra Chahal could prove to be a wrecker-in-chief for RCB at their home venue, given his commendable record.
#2 Returned as RR's finest bowler in the last cycle
The Royals put their money in the right place by securing the services of Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of the 2022 season. He returned as the Royals' best bowler in his three-year stint with the franchise.
Chahal won the Purple Cap in the 2022 season, with 27 scalps. His efforts bore fruit as the Royals went on to emerge as the runner-up. He then followed it up by taking 21 wickets in the 2023 season. However, RR were not among the top four teams after the completion of the league stage.
In the last edition, Chahal bagged 18 wickets and helped the Royals clinch a playoff spot. In 46 appearances for RR, the leg-spinner secured 66 dismissals and also rose to the second spot on the all-time leading wicket-takers for RR.
With impressive form in the cash-rich league, the 34-year-old could be looked upon as a potential match-winner for RCB in the next few editions.
#3 He is among very few spinners having attacking mindset
Although Yuzvendra Chahal doesn't have enough variations as a leg-spinner, he knows his limitations and is a risk-taking bowler. Chahal gained success at the graveyard for bowlers, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with his attacking mindset.
During his time on a belter of a surface and small ground in Bengaluru, Chahal learned the art of taking wickets by bowling slower and securing a rip off the surface. On occasions where his quicker ones didn't turn much, he usually cramped batters for room.
Interestingly, Chahal has a mindset of picking up wickets by not fearing to deliver the full-length balls or a flighted delivery. Despite this mindset, he manages to outfox the batters by varying his pace and gets a potential reward in terms of wickets.
With Virat Kohli reportedly back at the helm for RCB from 2025, he will look to find players who are hungry and have a attacking mindset like him. Certainly, Yuzvendra Chahal fits the bill perfectly in this case.