Klaasen apart: How he tamed Chahal

Centurion, February 22

Yuzvendra Chahal has been a key factor in all eight limited-over matches of the India-South Africa series — six One-day Internationals and two T20 Internationals.

In India’s six wins (5 ODIs, 1 T20I), Chahal picked up 16 wickets at an average of 14.56, with best figures of 5/22, and economy rate of 4.59 runs an over.

Smashed

In the two wins South Africa managed (1 ODI, 1 T20), Chahal was again a big factor — the key feature of South Africa’s wins was how their batsmen neutralised him. He picked up one wicket, giving away 132 runs in 9.3 overs in India’s two defeats. This gives him an economy rate of 13.89 runs an over, and average of 132, in the two defeats.

Chahal was smashed for 64 runs in four overs by the South Africans yesterday as they chased down India’s 188, with eight balls to spare. 

Chahal was hit for 13 sixers in India’s two defeats, including seven sixers last night. 

Klaasen factor

The man who made the greatest difference for the hosts is a fresher, Heinrich Klaasen. He was the Man of the Match in both victories notched up by South Africa: Last night he smashed 69 off 30 balls, and had hit 43 off 27 balls in the win in the Johannesburg ODI.

Yesterday, he hit 41 runs off 12 balls he faced from Chahal, including five sixers. Chahal has flummoxed most South African batsmen so far on the tour — how has Klaasen managed to dominate him so completely?

Klaasen has a history with leg-spinners, as he revealed yesterday. “I fancy him quite a lot,” Klaasen said about Chahal. “Especially when I was in amateur cricket, there were a couple of quality leggies in that time when I started my career. I faced Shaun von Berg at the Titans a lot as well. We always made a joke that I need to finish the other leggie’s career so he can go up. Sometimes it works. Tonight it worked perfectly. I just tried to cash in as much as possible.”

“It (hitting Chahal for 23 in one over) wasn’t planned,” Klaasen added. “But the way the seamers bowled, the cutters, they’ve got very, very good skills. I just fancied my chances more against the leggie (Chahal), had more options against him. So when I got the first two boundaries, I thought this is the over I have got to target. Maybe if I can get 20-odd in this over.”

Lucky break

Klaasen, 26, got to play against India only because of an injury to the regular wicketkeeper, Quinton de Kock. The way Klaasen has played, especially against Chahal, he might well turn out to be a huge attacking weapon for South Africa against spin bowlers. So maybe de Kock should be worried? No, said Klaasen. “I think he is a world-class player,” he said. “And our change room definitely misses him. Especially top of the order. I don’t think he has anything to worry about yet.”

“If you look at Quinny, AB (de Villiers) and Faf (du Plessis) and with Temba (Bavuma) coming back as well, they are world-class players,” he added. “So, in some sort, to put my name in that list as well... It is definitely a very important stage of my career. Put myself on the map or in this set-up. But if this is my last game, the weekend one, so be it, I am happy with it. My dream is fulfilled. Now it becomes a job.”

Chahal neutralised

• 41 Runs made by Heinrich Klaasen off 12 balls from Yuzvendra Chahal
• 64  Runs conceded by Chahal, the most by an Indian in T20Is. The previous record was 57 runs by Joginder Sharma against England in the 2007 World T20
• 13 Sixes hit off Chahal in India’s 2  defeats in ODIs and T20Is on this tour