The 29-year-old Yuzvendra Chahal is the top leg-spinner in the present Indian team. Everyone knows that the player has an interest in chess and started his career as a chess player. But he reveals about how he shifted to cricket.
The 7-year-old Chahal wanted to play cricket but his father had a dream that he became a chess champion. He won many titles in chess in different age group and represented India in 2003 World Youth Championship.
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He kept a condition in the forward of his father. Chahal said to his father that he would leave chess once he represented it for India. He followed what he said and afterwards joined the cricket team.
In the 10th edition of India Today Mind Rocks Youth Summit, Yuzvendra Chahal open up on his chess story.
“Chess but was more interested in cricket. Chess was mostly due to my father. I told my father in the end that once I play for India I will leave chess,” Chahal said while addressing the young, dynamic and vibrant minds at the event.
Yuzvendra Chahal got the support from his father
Chahal expressed how his father helped him to develop his career in cricket and shared his struggle in the game.
“I wanted to go to the ground since I was 7. Struggled a lot and so did my family. They never forced me to do something or to study, happy with passing marks. I used to cycle for 30 km daily to reach the ground. Then my father made a wicket for me. Today I am whatever due to him,” Chahal said.
His step to move to cricket proved beneficial to India as he is the crucial part of the team. Chahal has played 50 ODIs and 31 T20Is. He has picked 85 wickets in ODIs and 46 wickets in T20Is. He featured in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and he feels proud to be the part of the team.