NEW DELHI, May 4: Yuzvendra Chahal is among the best leg-spinners in international cricket right now but he can be more effective with better use of the crease, says former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.
Ahmed picked Chahal, Australia�s Adam Zampa and Pakistan�s Shadab Khan among the top leg-spinners in white-ball cricket.
�Chahal has been impressive. He is definitely among the top leg-spinners in the world. And I feel he would be more effective if he uses the crease a lot more,� Ahmed told PTI.
Ahmed, who has coached all around the world and is currently a consultant for his native team, said India�s ability to take wickets in the middle-overs in the limited overs format through Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has been a game-changer for them.
Both the wrist-spinners were brought into India�s limited overs set-up following the 2017 Champions Trophy. Though, of late, both Chahal and Kuldeep haven�t been playing together.
�He (Chahal) can go wide of the crease at times. You got to be smart enough to understand pitches. If it is a flat pitch, you can bowl stump to stump,� said Ahmed, one of the best leg-spinners Pakistan has produced.
�If the ball is gripping, you can go wide of the crease because you can trouble even the best of batsmen with that angle. That way your googly also doesn�t turn as much as the batsman expects and you end up taking a wicket.�
Chahal has taken 91 wickets in 52 ODIs at 25.83 and 55 wickets in 42 T20s at 24.34. He is not a huge turner of the ball but uses his variations very effectively.
Ahmed also feels the likes of Chahal and Kuldeep have benefited immensely from former captain MS Dhoni�s advice from behind the stumps.
�You have got to be one step ahead of the batsman. You should know your field position as per the batsman�s strength. I always say attack with fielders not with the ball. If you understand that theory, you will always be successful,� the 49-year-old, who played 52 Tests and 144 ODIs, said. � PTI
