Bengaluru, November 6: Yuzvendra Chahal and Ish Sodhi had been impressive at various stages of the limited-over series between India and New Zealand.
In the series deciding third ODI in Kanpur, Chahal had the better of exchange with New Zealand as his miserly spell played a key part in India winning the third match and the series.
Sodhi had his day under the lights when his leg-spinners had a decisive effect in New Zealand's series saving win in the second T20I in Rajkot. He had dismissed the dangerous Hardik Pandya for precious little to thwart India's charge.
But the off the field, Chahal is the clear winner. But on a board with 64 squares. Chahal, a chess champion at the youth level for India, and Sodhi engaged themselves in two games and the Indian emerged comfortable winner on both the occasions.
Hard luck my brother 😋 @ish_sodhi #betterlucknexttime😂 pic.twitter.com/XzimLDwKT3
— yuZvendra Chahal23 (@yuzi_chahal) November 5, 2017
Rematch has already happend... fair to say, chess champion for a reason 😂😂 @yuzi_chahal #toogood pic.twitter.com/8cHxbFoXGy
— Ish Sodhi (@ish_sodhi) November 5, 2017
After being checkmated in the first game, Sodhi challenged Chahal for a second game during the flight but the Kiwi had to settle for another defeat.
"We found out Chahal was an Indian chess champion when he was younger. So I talked to him about it and kind of challenged him. It hasn't really worked out in my favour so far," Sodhi said as reported by stuff.co.nz.
"We played two games and it's fair to say he hammered me. I didn't expect him to be as cunning as what he was. I was always on the defensive. It was pretty funny for everyone." Sodhi said.