Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is famous for uniting players from different nations. The T20 league sees players from across the globe come and take part in it. It also provides great exposure to youngsters where they get to play with superstars from around the world. But there is another part to this as well. Being junior in ranks, the young players are also prone to some sort of leg-pulling or ragging.
Although on most occasions, it is light and humorous, sometimes it gets ugly as well. Indian leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been on the receiving end of two such ugly pranks while he was a part of Mumbai Indians. The right-arm leggie has recently talked about two such instances in different seasons (2011 and 2013) when he was subjected to unforgettable experiences.
Talking about his experience in 2011, Chahal had revealed that he was left tied with a tape on his mouth for a whole night. The leggie also revealed the name of the players who were involved in the incident. He named Andrew Symonds and James Franklin as the individuals who carried out the prank on him.
While there is still a reaction to come from these two ex-MI players, English County club Durham has said that it will talk to James Franklin who is associated with the club as head coach. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, the club said, "We are aware of recent news reports surrounding an incident in 2011 which name a member of our staff. As with any matters involving employees, the club will speak privately with all parties involved to determine the facts."
Symonds and Franklin did not apologize to me: Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal had made this revelation on his previous franchise RCB's official podcast. "It happened in 2011, when Mumbai Indians won the Champions League. We were in Chennai. He [Symonds] had had a lot of 'fruit juice'," Chahal recalled. "I don't know what he was thinking, but he and James Franklin got together and tied my hands and legs and said, 'no, you've to open [the knots]'.
"They were so lost that they taped my mouth and forgot about me completely during the party. Then they all left and, in the morning, someone came to clean [the room] and saw me, and called a few others and untied me," Chahal had said. When the cricketer was asked about if the duo had apologized for their behavior, he said no. "No, they said when you drink so much juice you don't remember stuff in the morning."