Yuzvendra Chahal makes overconfident 'Punjab Kings will finish in Top 2' claim

Punjab Kings legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal made a bold claim on his team's chances in IPL 2025. Despite the defeat to Rajasthan Royals, Chahal is confident of Punjab Kings finishing among the top two teams of the group stage.

During the conversation, Yuzvendra Chahal also opened up on the huge debate regarding his price tag. The legspinner claims to be deserving of the price but feels that he doesn't think about it whenever he is performing on the field.

"We are coming in the top 2" - Yuzvendra Chahal

While speaking on JioHotstar, Yuzvendra Chahal expressed confidence in Punjab Kings finishing among the top two teams after the group stage. He cited the strength of the team in both batting and bowling departments and is focused on taking his team to the playoffs first.

"We are coming in the top 2; we are the best team. If you look at the bowling and batting, we have 7-8 options in bowling. If you look at the batting, we have 9-10 options. We have a very balanced side. I think it's a very good sign that the team will be a champion this year. Our focus is on finishing in top two and secure a place in the playoffs," Chahal said, as quoted by HT.

“The team environment is really good. We are like a family. We are treating everyone equally. We are really enjoying both on and off the field,” he added.

Punjab Kings built a team from scratch for this season and have been successful in building a strong squad under the vision of their head coach Ricky Ponting. The team has shown glimpses of their exceptional talent this year and is likely to be a strong force in the upcoming matches.

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Yuzvendra Chahal breaks silence on his massive price tag

The Punjab Kings spinner further mentioned that there is a long way to go since it's a long tournament. He is not too fussed about his slow start and is only looking to contribute to the team rather than himself.

"We have only played three matches so far. There is a long way to go. The team has won two matches and my focus is on making the team win. That's about it. The tournament has just started, and I am finding my rhythm. I am enjoying my bowling. If we win the trophy and I don't take a single wicket, I'll take that every day," Yuzvendra Chahal mentioned.

The 34-year-old also opened up on his huge price tag which has been a talking point. However, he is only looking to perform for the team without worrying too much about the amount.

"I deserve this price tag. When you are playing, you don't think about what price you fetched in the auction. Whether you go for INR 6 crore or INR 18 crore, it is the same mindset, and you just want to make the team win," he reckoned.

Yuzvendra Chahal was signed by Punjab Kings for a whopping amount of INR 18 crore, which makes him the most expensive spinner in IPL history. He is also the highest wicket-taker in IPL history and the first bowler to reach the milestone of 200 wickets.

Punjab Kings suffer first loss after two wins

Punjab Kings started their IPL 2025 campaign with two wins in a row over Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. Skipper Shreyas Iyer led them from the front with blistering knocks in both the matches.

However, the team succumbed to their first defeat of the season as they played their first home game. The Kings lost to Rajasthan Royals by 50 runs in a match where they were truly outclassed. Punjab will next face CSK at the same ground on April 8.