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A non-cricket fan's initial reaction to hearing the name "Piyush Chawla" might be, "Oh? When did he last leave this area? It's been more than seven years since Chawla was even considered for a comeback and almost a decade since he won the last of his 35 India caps. Instead of playing in the 2022 Indian Premier League season, he worked as a commentator.
The Delhi Capitals found out to their detriment on Tuesday night that this man, with the perennially youthful visage, can still throw a googly to telling effect.
There are presently 10 teams competing in the IPL, and among them are twelve players who participated in the inaugural season in 2008. Only Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni had played for India previously to Piyush Chawla. One of the grizzled veterans of the English press pack said before his maiden Test against England at Mohali in 2006, "I hope he's got permission from his head teacher to skip school!"
The only people who knew who Virat Kohli was back then were those who followed junior cricket in Delhi. At the time, Rohit Sharma was a promising teenager. The days of being called Captain Cool were so distant in the future that even Dhoni was being called a Show Pony by the English media. Piyush Chawla was all the rage this year. He bowled Sachin Tendulkar with a googly when he was only 16 years old during a Challenger Trophy match. During his debut year of professional cricket, Uttar Pradesh won the Ranji Trophy for the first time.
However, Indian cricket has a chequered past regarding exceptional leg-spinners who make an immediate impact. In his first two home Tests, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan got 19 wickets despite being only 19 years old. At 20, he made his final appearance on the pitch.
That Piyush Chawla wasn't Siva or Hirwani was a contributing factor to his problems. Both were masters of the leg-break and stock delivery, and Siva's loop was particularly beautiful and tricky. When Richie Benaud lured Javed Miandad forward and had him stumped in the final of the World Championship of Cricket (1985), he nearly leapt out of his seat with delight.
This was Chawla's 13th three-wicket haul in the IPL, and it was the decisive spell he bowled against Delhi. His hopes of making it to the Indian national team have long since died, but Rohit Sharma has a captain who has watched him grow up. The googly is still strong enough for any highlights reel, as Piyush Chawla demonstrated against Delhi, notably with the dismissal of Rovman Powell.
No other Indian leg-spinner could have ever lived up to the standards set by Anil Kumble. Despite the disappointment of his brief international career, Piyush Chawla can be justifiably proud of his accomplishments. And it still has a few surprises on its sleeve. As the 'truant schoolboy' concludes his story, Rohit and the Mumbai Indians may win.
FAQs
How many wickets did Piyush Chawla take in IPL?
With a strike rate of 20.37 and an average of 26.78, Piyush Chawla took 176 wickets in 177 IPL innings. Piyush Chawla's IPL career is good. He is playing well.
How many wickets Piyush Chawla took in IPL 2023?
Given his lack of playing time in Indian cricket and his lack of selection in the 2022 IPL, Piyush Chawla's 22 wickets in the IPL 2023 helped the Mumbai Indians reach the playoffs.
What is the price of Piyush Chawla in IPL 23?
Piyush Chawla, an Indian, was purchased by the Mumbai Indians for 50 million rupees (about $800,000).
