Yuzvendra Chahal can be more effective with better use of crease, says Mushtaq Ahmed

Bengaluru, May 4: Former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed says Indian leggie Yuzvendra Chahal is a good bowler, but needs to make better use of the crease to be more effective.

Ahmed, currently a consultant for Pakistan, says Chahal, who is not a huge turner of the ball, will benefit by using the crease especially on flat pitches.

"Chahal is a very good bowler but can use the crease much better. He 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," Ahmed told PTI.

"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."

The former spinner 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.

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Ahmed also feels the Kul-Cha pair have benefitted immensely from former captain M S 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.

"India has become a force to reckon with in all three formats as it uses its bowlers really well. Dhoni was a master at getting the best out of his bowlers in limited overs cricket and now you have Virat Kohli."

Both the wrist-spinners were brought in to the limited overs set-up following the 2017 Champions Trophy, but, the pair haven't been playing together recently.

Chahal, who is among the leading leg spinners in world cricket right now, has taken 91 wickets in 52 ODIs at 25.83 and 55 wickets in 42 T20s at 24.34.

Ahmed also chose Chahal, Australia's Adam Zampa and Pakistan's Shadab Khan as the top leg-spinners in the sorter format. He also said the art of leg-spin remains relevant more than ever now due to their dominance in shorter form of the game.

"You need leg-spinners and mystery spinners in your team as they have the ability to take wickets at any stage of the game. I see a lot of them coming through in the next 10-15 years.

"Most batsmen now like playing express pace but with a good leg-spinner in the team, you are always in the game," added Ahmed.