Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson was full of praise for Yuzvendra Chahal and called him the greatest leg-spinner India has produced in the recent past. Chahal is a wily spinner and makes great use of his skills. The leg-spinner scalped four wickets against Lucknow Super Giants and played a key role in his team’s win of three runs at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.
Chahal got the big wicket of Quinton de Kock, who was well settled at the crease after scoring 39 runs. The leg-spinner also dismissed Krunal Pandya in the same over to put the opposition under pressure. Furthermore, he accounted for Dushmantha Chameera and Ayush Badoni.
Chahal returned with impressive figures of 4-41 and thus he was awarded the Player of the Match for his fine show.
Sanju Samson said in the post-match presentation, “Chahal is someone who can be given the ball anytime from overs 1-20. He’s the greatest legspinner if I can say, that India’s seen in the present. Thought why not use him more at the end when the pressure is more.”
On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin decided to retire out after scoring 28 runs off 23 balls. Samson revealed it was the team’s decision and they wanted to make the most of the last 10 balls of their batting innings.
Samson added, “It’s about being Rajasthan Royals (Ashwin’s retired-out). We keep trying different things. Have been talking about it before the season. We thought that if some situation occurs, we can use it. Was a team decision.”
Meanwhile, Trent Boult gave a rollicking start to RR as his first three deliveries read as – W, Wide, W. Boult bowled a jaffa to get rid of KL Rahul on the first ball and then also accounted for Krishnappa Gowtham.
Speaking on Boult’s performance, Samson said, “(Boult) Came to me before first ball, told me ‘Sanju change of plan, I’m going to go around the wicket, and going straight in his legs and hit that bowled’. Funny to be around and his skills are commendable. Conversations (with Hetmyer) are ‘have you eaten, have you slept well, and are you happy’, that’s it. The experience he has, really great cricketing sense he has. Has been doing great job for us.”
Samson also showered praise on Kuldeep Sen, who made an impressive debut in the IPL. Sen got the crucial wicket of in-form Deepak Hooda and then successfully defended 15 runs in the last over against dangerous Marcus Stoinis.
Samson concluded, “Feels good (to be top of the table). Depends on how he has bowled his first three overs. Got the feeling that he has done well and he is confident (talking about Kuldeep Sen) to go and execute his wide yorker which he has been working in the off season. Saw him in Syed Mushtaq and he was nailing his wide yorkers.”
RR will next take on Gujarat Titans at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Thursday.
