![Chahal rips through Stokes' defence [Source: Screengrab/@Crex_live]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1788436070582_ChahalripsthroughStokes'defence.jpg?type=hq)
Chahal rips through Stokes' defence [Source: Screengrab/@Crex_live]
Yuzvendra Chahal might have never played for India in the longest format (Tests), but the wily spinner has certainly left his mark in the County Championship as he continues to deliver the goods in red-ball cricket. In the ongoing County Championship, Chahal has been outstanding, and he once again showcased his class by dismissing Ben Stokes.
In the ongoing County Championship match between Durham and Northamptonshire, Chahal produced a moment of magic that left Stokes dumbfounded as the English great looked shell-shocked.
Chahal rips through Stokes' defence, leaving England great shell-shocked
Durham elected to bat first after winning the toss, and Ben Stokes came into bat at number 6. With the sun shining brightly, the English legend had the perfect chance to utilise the perfect batting conditions. The southpaw quickly raced to 14 off 21 and was looking in ominous touch.
However, Chahal had some other plans as he bamboozled the former England captain with a ripper of a leg-break. The wily Indian spinner came around the wicket, and deliberately gave more air to the ball as he tossed it outside the off.
Stokes lunges forward for a defensive shot, but the Durham batter left a huge bat-pad gap as the ball pitched, turned back in sharply, and breached the defence to shatter the stumps.
The all-rounder was left shell-shocked after the dismissal as he looked at the playing surface before giving a serious look as he walked away.
Why was Stokes in disbelief after the wicket?
The wicket at the Cinch County Ground in Northampton has generally favoured the fast bowlers, as they get assistance from the surface. Hence, Stokes was not expecting Chahal to get a huge turn on the wicket.
Also Read: Yuzvendra Chahal Throws His Hat Into The Ring For 2027 World Cup Selection
One expects a bit of turn, but Yuzvendra Chahal almost pitched the delivery well outside the off, and the leg-break ball turned back in quickly as the England batter couldn’t believe his luck.
Moreover, before the wicket, he was comfortable against all types of bowlers, and hence, he expected himself to tackle Chahal with relative ease.
Chahal finally gets the better of Stokes
The Chahal vs Stokes rivalry goes back to their playing days, when the wily spinner represented India and Stokes was a regular in white-ball formats.
Interestingly, Stokes has always got the better of Chahal, as the English great has dominated the proceedings against him. In ODIs, the former English skipper has scored 59 runs in just 52 balls, with an average of 59 and a strike rate of 113.5. Meanwhile, the leg-break bowler has only managed to dismiss him once.
In the T20I format, Chahal has picked up Stokes once, but the England batter has scored 16 runs off 12 balls against him. Throughout their rivalry, the left-handed batter has looked comfortable against the Indian bowler, but this has been the first time that Chahal outfoxed him.
How Chahal has fared in the ongoing County Championship?
Interestingly, the ongoing clash between Durham and Northamptonshire has been Chahal’s third game of the season, and the spinner has done reasonably well with the red ball in hand.
In his first match against Lancashire, the 36-year-old picked up 3 wickets and kept the batters under pressure. In the second match against Kent, the right-arm leg-break bowler took 2 for 58 and looked sharp in his rhythm.
In the ongoing match against Durham, the Indian spinner finished as the pick of the bowlers as he scalped 4 for 36, and his spell made sure Durham could only score 205 runs.
Also Read: Auqib Nabi Dismisses This Indian Veteran On English County Debut
