India Vs Australia: Yuzvendra Chahal hits back at Steve Smith, says two new balls was ‘plus point’ for Australia

Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets for 30 runs against Australia. (AP Photo)

India had to defend a total of 164 in 21 overs against Australia in the first one-day international in Chennai after the match was curtailed due to rain. With an Australian team that has David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell among others, any opponent would be under pressure. But, India’s leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has said that there was no pressure on him or his side despite defending a small total.

“If they would have won then they could have said that (two new balls) was a plus point because the ball came on nicely to the bat,” he said. “Our minus point was that we had to bowl 10 overs each with a new ball. We bowled well, so whether it’s a new or old ball, it doesn’t matter. Australia had an advantage in the 20-over game, because the rule was not for a 20-over game and the extra fielder was always in the inner circle. But the plus (for India) was that the wicket was turning and the way our medium-pacers bowled at the start helped us put pressure on them from the very beginning. We never allowed them to get into the game.”

India posted 281 for 7 in their 50 overs but a rain delayed the start of Australia’s chase. When it finally began, Australia were set a target of 164 from 21 overs with the rules of ODI cricket including bowling with two new balls from each end. Australia captain Steve Smith had said that two new balls from each end made it difficult for them to score but weather is one thing they could not control.

Chahal also added that Kuldeep Yadav and him never took the pressure on them as they always go by the nature of the wicket since both of them like to attack the wickets and Virat Kohli gives them the freedom to express themselves on the field.

“There was no pressure as such. We don’t think a lot about what’s happening. We go by the nature of the wicket and since both of us are attacking, we go for wickets,” he said. “Wrist spinners are mostly attacking and when your captain is so attacking, you get more freedom to attack,” said Chahal after the match.

But at one point in the innings, Maxwell took Kuldeep and Chahal to the cleaners, scoring 33 runs off just 13 balls to keep Australia’s hopes alive. Chahal then dismissed with a strategy devised by MS Dhoni.

“I’ve bowled a lot to Maxwell in IPL so I was confident,” said Chahal. “My plus point is that Kuldeep’s ball comes into the batsmen, and mine goes out. Mahi bhai and Virat told me to bowl the one that turns and keep checking his feet. My idea was to bowl a little wide to him and from there if he hits a good shot, then it is fine.

“The plan was to get it to spin, but change the line. We kept bowling wide outside off-stump, so if he had to hit, he would have to hit on the offside because he is strong on the leg side.”