IPL 2023: Harbhajan Singh hails MI veteran Piyush Chawla's 'wicket-taking software'

With Mumbai Indians (MI) gearing up to face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2023 Eliminator on Wednesday, the spotlight will once again fall on the spin departments of the two teams and how they fare on a conducive MA Chidambaram Stadium wicket.

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The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spinners, led by Ravindra Jadeja (2/18), played an important role in defending their 172-run total against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at the same venue on Tuesday. In the upcoming contest between Lucknow and five-time champions Mumbai, veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla is among those who could have a major influence on how the game pans out at Chepauk.

Spin legend and Chawla’s former India teammate Harbhajan Singh heaped praise on the 34-year-old, saying his “wicket-taking software” was amazing and that there wasn’t really a match for him at the moment.

“Piyush Chawla’s wicket-taking software is amazing. This guy is awesome. He has troubled the veterans of every team with his spin. I am very happy for this player because, in the last season, he was not considered useful by any team. This season it has told every team that there is no replacement for experience. There is no match for this player,” Harbhajan said on Star Sports in the build-up to the second playoff fixture of the season.

Read | Piyush Chawla reveals inspiration behind solid comeback in IPL 2023

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who had played alongside Chawla for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket, too hailed Chawla’s “solid impact” in the 16th season of the league.

“Chawla has taken half of the wickets that Mumbai has taken so far. This is a champion bowler. As if taking wickets on the very first ball in every match has become his habit. Chawla has proved that there is no substitute for experience. He has stability in his deliveries and has been impressive on all types of wickets. His impact this season has been solid,” said Star Sports expert Kaif.

Read | Piyush Chawla serves up new tricks for Mumbai Indians

Chawla, who went unsold in the player auction ahead of last season, is currently among the top five wicket-takers in IPL 2023. He currently sits at the fifth spot on the wicket-takers’ list with 20 wickets to his name at an average and economy of 21.10 and 7.81 respectively.

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