Yuzvendra Chahal, a legspinner with the Rajasthan Royals, has been the first bowler to reach 200 wickets in IPL history. When Chahal got rid of Mumbai Indians (MI) pitcher Muhammad Nabi on Monday in Jaipur, he reached the milestone.
Chahal was brought into the attack in the eighth over of the innings when Mumbai decided to bat, and he scored with his third ball. The leading edge of Nabi’s bat was grabbed by a softly floating legbreak, resulting in an easy return catch for the bowler.
In his 153rd game, Chahal set a record that surpassed Dwayne Bravo as the most wicket-taker in IPL history..
“I never even thought about it [becoming the highest wicket-taker] when I started playing the IPL,” Chahal had said last year after toppling Bravo. “I was with Mumbai Indians for three years [when I started], but my journey actually started from 2014. There have been a lot of ups and downs, and I’ve enjoyed a lot too. I’ve learnt from my downs, and what I’m today is because of my downfalls and [support from] my close ones.”
Although Chahal was initially signed by the Mumbai Indians in 2011, he didn’t play in the IPL until 2013. He played just one IPL match for the Mumbai franchise, against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, going wicketless over the course of four overs.
His IPL career truly got off after that, in 2014, when he was bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In 113 games for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) between 2014 and 2021, Chahal claimed 139 wickets at an average of 22.03, with an outstanding economy rate of 7.58. He continues to be RCB’s leading IPL wicket-taker. But before the IPL 2022 big auction, RCB decided not to hold onto him, and the Royals selected him for INR 6.5 crore.
Since 2022, Chahal has been a Royals player. During their journey to the IPL final that year, he took 27 wickets for them at an economy of 7.75, including his sole five-for in the IPL thus far, 5 for 40 against KKR. He claimed three wickets in a hat-trick, dismissing Venkatesh Iyer earlier and getting Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Mavi, and Pat Cummins in an over that lasted four wickets.
Chahal leads the list, followed by Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel, having taken 13 wickets in the IPL 2024.