My father insisted me to be a leg-spinner due to my lean frame, reveals Yuzvendra Chahal

From becoming a chess master to India's premier leg-spinner, it has been a journey worth celebrating for Yuzvendra Chahal but it was not always like that. The Haryana lad started as a medium-pacer during his school days but thanks to him being skinny, his father advised him to pursue leg-spin. It changed his career for good as he made his India debut in early 2017 to become the premier spinner in the white-ball formats.

"I was a medium-pacer during my school days, but my father insisted that I change to leg-spin because of my lean frame. I then went on to become the highest wicket-taker in one season of the Cooch Behar Trophy. That's when I realized I had the talent and potential to become better. The age-group matches were followed by performances in the Ranji Trophy for Haryana, the 50-over matches, T20s and then I was selected for the Indian team," Chahal said on Cricbuzz's Spicy Pitch.

"I played U-14 cricket when I was just 10-year old, it all started there, I then followed it with age-group cricket at the U-15, captained Haryana in a few games at the U-17 and U-19 level before finally making my Ranji debut in 2009 against Madhya Pradesh," Chahal said.

Chahal still has a FIDE rating of 1956 in Chess but cricket has given him the reputation that he has now. 52 One Day Internationals and 42 Twenty20 internationals have already been secured next to his name while he has been a colossal part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore set-up. Chahal added that he has everything because of the sport and once he is done with his career, he is going to miss everything dearly.

"Cricket is my life, whatever I'm today, it's because of the game, the name and fame I have earned, I feel I will miss everything once I'm done with my playing days," Yuzvendra Chahal said.