Yuzvendra Chahal has great control over his skill: Lasith Malinga hails 'India's most experienced leg-spinner'

Rajasthan Royals bowling coach Lasith Malinga said Yuzvendra Chahal showed why leg-spinners are considered match-winners in the IPL with a brilliant 17th over in which he recorded the first hat-trick of the season.

Rajasthan Royals bowling coach Lasith Malinga heaped rich praise on Yuzvendra Chahal after the RR spinner turned the match with a brilliant 17th over in which he recorded the first hat-trick of the season. Hailing Chahal as India's most-experienced leg-spinner, Malinga said that he had control over his skill and the RR star showed why leg-spinners are considered match-winners in the IPL.

Chahal (5/40) dismissed Venkatesh Iyer off his first delivery in the 17th over and then Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Mavi, and Pat Cummins off the fourth, fifth and sixth balls to completely turn the match on its head and hand RR a close seven-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday night. This was after Jos Buttler's 61-ball 103, his second ton of the season, helped Royals score an imposing 217 for five.

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''Chahal has more international experience. He is the most experienced leg-spinner in the country and in this tournament. He showed how to control the skill. That's more important for him going forward to prove he is good enough to play any competitive cricket,'' Malinga said at the post-match press conference.

''Leg-spinners have more wicket-taking options and he showed today how he can get wickets and changed the game in a single over. I think he showed all the leg-spinners that they are the match-winning bowlers in this competition.''

KKR head coach Brendon McCullum said it was a good game of cricket but Chahal and Buttler simply took away the match from his side.

''You can't allow good players like Chahal to enter the game when there's pressure on. We played a good game but just made a couple of silly mistakes.