Yuzvendra Chahal

Born in Haryana, Yuzvendra Chahal is a skilled right-arm leg-spinner who made his first-class debut at the age of 19 in an away game against Madhya Pradesh at Indore. Despite not having an extensive first-class record, Yuzvendra's impressive performances in the shortest format of the game earned him an IPL contract with Mumbai Indians in 2011. 

However, his journey with Mumbai was limited, as he played only a handful of matches. In a twist of fate, the 2014 IPL auction saw him being picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), which proved to be a turning point in his career.

Yuzvendra played all the matches for RCB in the 2014 season, quickly becoming one of Virat Kohli's go-to bowlers in critical situations. His consistent performances, characterized by his skiddy bowling action and accurate line and length, made him an integral part of RCB's bowling setup. Though he missed out on the Emerging Player of the Year award to Axar Patel, his potential was evident.

Also, he is the only player to represent India in both chess and cricket. He represented India in chess at the World Youth Chess Championship, though he gave up the game later when he struggled to find a sponsor

Yuzvendra's success in the IPL caught the attention of the national selectors, leading to his inclusion in the Indian team for the T20 format, followed by the ODI format. His debut series against Zimbabwe in mid-2016 was a success, and he further displayed his talent with a record-breaking performance against England in early 2017, taking six wickets for 25 runs in a T20I match at his home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium. This performance remains one of the best in T20I history.

In the IPL, Yuzvendra's career flourished with RCB. He became their leading wicket-taker, surpassing many established players. Despite RCB not retaining him before the 2022 mega auction, he was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for INR 6.5 crore. 

Yuzvendra immediately made an impact, winning the Purple Cap for the most wickets in the season and helping the Royals reach their first IPL final since 2008. His hat-trick against Kolkata Knight Riders at Brabourne Stadium was one of the highlights of that season.

Yuzvendra's IPL journey reached a historic milestone in 2023 when he surpassed Dwayne Bravo to become the league's leading wicket-taker. This achievement came at Eden Gardens, the very ground where he made his IPL debut, symbolizing his remarkable journey in the league.