IPL 2020: Yuzvendra Chahal’s fuller deliveries, subtle variations in pace main factors behind recent success, says Scott Styris

During an appearance on Star Sports’ show Select Dugout, former New Zealand batsman Scott Styris pointed to the changes that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowler Yuzvendra Chahal had implemented in his game, saying the spinner was bowling a fuller length to take advantage of surfaces in the United Arab Emirates.

Yuzvendra Chahal in action during the IPL. Sportzpics

“Let’s take a look first and foremost at where Yuzvendra Chahal is picking up his wickets in 2020 and the lengths. There’s a lot of them, 12 of them on the fuller side, only five at good length, but let’s look back then, to 2019, where he was so good for RCB that completely flips over as 15 on a good length and only three with the fuller,” said Styris.

“Now, that says to me, a couple of things, that fuller length here, in the UAE is the length to bowl. So, because there are different conditions in UAE and India of course and he is bowling fuller and therefore, what about the speed, because the speed also becomes crucial on where you are……at this…..how you are still looking to get batsman out and the speed also tells story because not only he is bowling fuller this year, he is also 3 km/hr slower,” he added.

Chahal is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), tied with Mumbai Indians’ Trent Boult on 20 wickets from 13 matches, and according to Styris, his success has largely been down to a couple of minute changes.

What’s @yuzi_chahal‘s secret to success in #Dream11IPL 2020?

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“It’s excellent bowling! Its clever because he has read the conditions in UAE, he has made the necessary adjustments and he is starting to pitch the ball in a good area allowing batsmen to drive the ball, rather than have it where they’re looking to just simply get maybe a good length delivery. So, the changes from Chahal are small, but they are successful so far,” said Styris.