'Chahal is one I will be frustrated with until I finish my career': Ex-RCB coach admits to BLUNDER

In a recent revelation, Mike Hesson, the former Director of Cricket Operations for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), admitted to a significant error in judgment regarding the retention of players for the IPL 2022 season. Hesson confessed that his decision to release Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of the mega auction is one that will haunt him for the rest of his career.

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Mike Hesson acknowledges a massive blunder

The decision was a part of RCB's strategy to retain only three players - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammed Siraj - which would grant them an additional 4 crores in the auction. Hesson explained, "When every cycle comes to an end, you have to decide whom to retain. If you retain only 3 players, you get extra 4 crores which potentially gives us the chance to get both Harshal & Yuzi."

Yuzvendra Chahal, who had been an integral part of the RCB squad since 2018, was left disappointed and vocalized his discontent publicly on several occasions. Despite his exemplary performance for RCB over the years, he found himself out of the team and was eventually bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2022 auction.

On Monday, Yuzvendra Chahal achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first player in the history of the IPL to take 200 wickets. His consistent performances for Rajasthan Royals have further emphasized the magnitude of the oversight made by the RCB management.

Mike Hesson further elaborated on the sequence of events during the auction, stating, "When the order of the auction came, Yuzi was at 65, so after Yuzi, we were not interested in any spinner and Hasaranga was our another option so once we got him, we couldn't go for Yuzi." This explanation, however, does little to justify the decision to let go of a player of Chahal's caliber.

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The regrettable decision has not only impacted RCB's bowling department but has also given Rajasthan Royals a significant advantage, with Chahal proving to be a match-winner for his new franchise. His ability to pick wickets consistently and control the game in crucial moments has made him an invaluable asset for Rajasthan Royals.