Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s former spinner Yuzvendra Chahal admitted he did feel bad when he was not retained by the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 auction but later decided to move on. Furthermore, the franchise didn’t try to get the leg-spinner back in the auction.
Chahal was eventually bagged by Rajasthan Royals for INR 6.50 crore in IPL 2022 mega auction. The leg-spinner played eight seasons for RCB and thus it was surprising when the franchise decided not to retain him.
“I feel what happened was for the good. I did feel bad. I expected to be there. But I have forgotten all this now. I did tell once that I was angry, but now I realise that as a professional, it is okay. It is not in your hands. I think something would have happened at the auction or whatever. But when I went to RR, I improved as a bowler. It taught me to let go of what is not in your control,” he said in a podcast with Aakash Chopra.
Chahal revealed he was told that he would not be taken seriously if he acts funny all the time but admitted it is his nature.
“A lot of people told me not to be funny, or I will not be taken seriously. But this is my nature. When I am with my people, I do not think a lot. That is why I have a lot of close friends who care for me even now. I do not think a lot about what I should do or how I should be. People like me as I am. If I change, my close ones might go away from me.”
The leg-spinner from Haryana said bowling to legendary batters like Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli during the RCB nets, helped him grow as a bowler.
“It was good that I was bowling to Gayle, AB, and Kohli in the nets. So when they could not hit me, I knew if they couldn’t, it would be more difficult for other batters. AB Sir would always play like a proper batter in the nets. No reverse sweep, nothing. I would always ask him things, and his feedback helped me. It made a huge difference. It gives you clarity when you actually play,” he said.
Chahal is currently doing a commentary stint for the T20I series between India and the West Indies.
