India vs Sri Lanka: Yuzvendra Chahal is 5 wickets away from becoming the 4th bowler in the world to pick up at least 50 scalps in T20Is at home. He is also 4 wickets away from setting a new Indian record.
Table of Contents
In Short
- Yuzvendra Chahal will look to overtake Bhuvneshwar as India’s leading T20I wicket-taker
- Chahal needs 5 more wickets for 50 scalps at home in T20Is
- India take on Sri Lanka in the 1st of a 3-match T20I series on Tuesday in Mumbai
PosterGuy: Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal eyes yet another milestone in international T20s when India take on Sri Lanka in a 3-match T20I series, their first assignment in the New Year. Chahal has been one of India’s leading wicket-takers in the shortest format of the game eyes a couple of landmarks in the lead-up to the first T20I, which will be played in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3.
Yuzvendra Chahal picked up only 2 wickets in 2 matches in India’s tour of New Zealand but the leg-spinner will look to play a more crucial role at home as India play the T20Is in Mumbai, Pune, and Rajkot.
IND vs SL, 1st T20I: Predicted XIs
Yuzvendra Chahal only needs 4 more wickets to overtake Bhuvneshwar Kumar as India’s leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket. The Haryana leg-spinner has 87 wickets in 71 matches, 3 less than Bhuvneshwar, who has 90 wickets in 87 matches. The senior pacer has not been picked for the 3-match T20I series as the senior selection committee, led by Chetan Sharma, did not consider the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
Chahal also eyes another major milestone as he is 5 wickets away from joining an elite list of bowlers who have 50 wickets or more at home in T20iS.
Chahal has picked up 45 wickets, including a 5-wicket haul and 2 4-wicket hauls, in 35 matches at home at a staggering average of 22. Only 3 bowlers have 50 or more wickets in T20Is at home.
MOST WICKETS AT HOME IN T20Is
Tim Southee (New Zealand) – 78 wickets in 59 matches
Ish Sodhi (New Zealand) – 57 wickets in 46 matches
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 52 wickets in 42 matches
Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 46 wickets in 34 matches
Yuzvendra Chahal (India) – 45 wickets in 45 matches
Chahal is already the leading wicket-taker in India vs Sri Lanka T20Is, having picked up 20 wickets in just 10 matches at an average of less than 17.
Dushmantha Chameeera is at the 2nd spot with 16 wickets but the express pacer is not part of the touring squad for the T20I and ODI series.
MOST WICKETS IN IND vs SL T20Is
Chahal – 20 wickets in 10 matches
Chameera – 16 wickets in 15 matches
R Ashwin – 14 wickets in 7 matches
Dasun Shanaka – 12 wickets in 19 matches
Kuldeep Yadav – 12 wickets in 9 matches
While Chahal is expected to be India’s first-choice spinner for the 3-match T20I series, it will be interesting to see who partners him. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are two options for India and the bowlers will be heading into the series in good form after having impressed in Bangladesh and New Zealand, respectively.
Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I Predicted Playing XI: Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi to make debut?