'Yuzvendra Chahal wants to be the top guy in the team, that's his commitment' - Punjab Kings coach ahead of KKR vs PBKS clash

Published - 06 Apr 2026, 11:13 IST | Updated - 06 Apr 2026, 11:17 IST

Punjab Kings' assistant bowling coach Trevor Gonsalves heaped praise on veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who is the leading wicket-taker in IPL history. The kings have won back-to-back matches to start their campaign. They will look to complete a hat-trick of wins when they face the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Monday, April 6.

Gonsalves said that he has seen Chahal working very diligently behind the scenes to improve his craft and win games for his team. In Punjab's first two matches in IPL 2026, the 35-year-old has picked up three wickets at an economy rate of 7.

"Yuzvendra Chahal is a very dangerous name in Indian cricket. And overseas, he is even more dangerous. What I have seen in the last couple of years is that he is so serious, both on and off the field. He just wants to get going and win games for the side," Gonsalves said on the eve of their IPL match against KKR via NDTV.

The discarded India spinner's work ethic got a lot of plaudits from Gonsalves. The latter said that Chahal's work ethic is what makes him so strong as an addition to the Punjab Kings' dressing room.

"He has been at every practice session, every single camp. He is the front-runner in all those camps and the most involved guy in this set-up. It's always like he just wants to perform, he wants to be the top guy for the side. That's the kind of commitment he brings," he added.

IPL 2026: KKR's strongest predicted XI against PBKS

Chahal will have a key role to play against the Knight Riders' exciting batting department. Punjab are coming into this clash on the back of two consecutive wins. On the other hand, the Knights are desperately wanting to get off the mark, as they have suffered two losses in a row to start their IPL 2026 campaign. Fans will hope that rain stays away, as the forecast is not that great in Kolkata for Monday.