Indian Cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal is in the limelight again, but for all the non-cricketing reasons, after an actress, Taniya Chatterjee, claimed that the spinner approached her on Instagram with a direct message (DM). Notably, the actress is famous for her work in bold OTT web series and viral social media content. While speaking to the media, the actress claimed that the leg-spinner had messaged her saying, “Aap cute ho.” Ever since the video appeared on social media, it has gone viral instantly, sparking discussions among cricket fans.
Taniya, known for her roles in Gandii Baat and Titliyaan, also presented what she asserted were the messages while engaging with the paparazzi. She remarked, “Look at these messages from Chahal, he referred to me as ‘cute’, as she showed her Instagram DM inbox. Check out the video here:
The disclosure has introduced an additional dimension to ongoing discussions about Chahal’s private life, which has frequently been in the spotlight. Following his divorce from Dhanashree Verma in 2025, the cricketer has often been the focus of rumors and social media chatter concerning his romantic life. Nonetheless, no official statement from Yuzi Chahal has emerged concerning Taniya’s assertion to date.
Former Cricketer Heaps Praise On Yuzvendra Chahal
Speaking on JioStar, Harbhajan explained that Chahal succeeds because he gives the ball more flight and spin, creating dip and turn that deceives batters into mistimed shots.
“If you look at it from the side angle, when the ball leaves a spinner’s hand, it should come out from the top of the hand and drop down to the bottom, almost forming a half-moon shape. Yuzvendra Chahal isn’t very tall either, so he uses that to his advantage by giving the ball more air and flight. The more you flight the ball, the more revs you get. And the more revolutions there are, the more the ball will dip and turn. Because of this, the batter feels like the ball is coming towards them, but it actually isn’t; the ball is still far from them. That’s why when you go for a big shot, you end up hitting high but not long, because you are early into the shot,” Harbhajan Singh said.
“This is how a proper spinner bowls. This is classical spin bowling, which is a dying art, almost like dinosaurs; there are only a few left now. There’s Kuldeep, there’s Chahal. The rest say they are spinners, but like everyone else, they don’t bowl like one, they just keep bowling fast,” Harbhajan added.
Chahal is the highest wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League, with 224 wickets in 176 matches at an average of 22.68.
Vishal Pushkar is a Chief Sub-Editor with NewsX and has been associated with the company since March 2026. He has been working as a journalist since 2021. His experience includes working with Zee Media, Amazon and Dainik Jagran. Vishal holds a BA (English Honours) degree from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Vishal has completed a beginner’s course in the German language as well.
