Yuzvendra Chahal, the top wicket-taker in the Indian Premier League, admitted to feeling anxious ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. He was happy to announce his signing with Punjab Kings for a significant amount of Rs 18 crore.
Chahal stated he felt he was worth the price tag, suggesting he had not received fair compensation in previous auction appearances.
At the mega auction in Jeddah, Punjab Kings used their large budget to acquire Yuzvendra Chahal, beating out other teams like SunRisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giant, and Chennai Super Kings.
Although Chahal was a top wicket-taker for RCB until 2021, he was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2022 auction for Rs 6.5 core. Despite high bids for foreign spinners like Rashid Khan and Wanindu Hasaranga, Chahal, unexpectedly let go by RCB in 2021, did not attract bidding competition in 2022.
I felt extremely anxious. I felt anxious because everything I had received in the past three years was now condensed into one year. However, I believe I am worthy of it. Chahal expressed his enthusiasm when speaking to JioCinema during the first day of the mega auction.
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“I had a couple of hints. Some of my friends informed me that I was going to join the Punjab Kings. However, I didn’t consider the amount for which I would be sold. My estimate was around Rs 12-13 crore. As you mentioned, I am worthy of this,” he said.
Punjab Kings, under the guidance of Ricky Ponting, spent a significant amount on top players, acquiring Shreyas Iyer for a historic price of Rs 26.75 crore. They acquired pacer Arshdeep Singh for Rs 18 crore, reuniting the Indian star with Mohali.
Chahal expressed his excitement about collaborating with Ponting for the first time and praised his connection with Iyer, who is likely to captain the Punjab team.
‘Excited to work with Ponting Sir’
“I am very excited. There is Ponting sir. I will work with him for the first time, I will try and give my best,” he said.
“I am really thrilled. I share a strong connection with Shreyas Iyer. I will have the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge from Sir Ricky Ponting. Chandigarh is close to my home, previously it was Jaipur”
Chahal achieved a milestone by being the first bowler in IPL history to reach 200 wickets. In the 2024 season, he added 18 wickets to his total of 205 wickets from 160 matches.
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