My form hasn't dipped, this is just a phase for me - Yuzvendra Chahal

After a great spell of performance that lasted two years, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have hardly played together for the Indian team. The fall from the grace is such that the former has even been dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad, with Chahal's performance also downsizing a fair bit.

However, Yuzvendra Chahal stated that his form hasn't dipped and he is looking forward to bowling tandem with Kuldeep Yadav once again during the Sri Lanka tour.

"I don't think so (on being out of form). I have been playing for so long now. I have been bowling in the IPL too. You can't take wickets in all the matches. There are times when the bowler goes wicketless in a couple of matches. That doesn't mean his form has dipped. In T20Is, one needs to bowl with full control. We need to control the flow of runs. So, it is tough to bowl in T20Is," Chahal told Timesofindia.com in an exclusive interview.

"People have got used to seeing me taking wickets. I have worked really hard to reach this level. I have impressed my fans by taking wickets. Obviously, when I am not taking wickets, there will be comparisons and fans will be disappointed. But my form hasn't dipped. It's just a matter of a couple of matches. This is just a phase for me. It happens with a batsman too when he is not able to score runs in 3 or 4 or 5 matches but after that, he starts scoring runs. You will see me back in wicket-taking mode again and that too very soon," the leg-spinner further said.

The Haryana leg-spinner also added that Virat Kohli has been his go-to man and always motivated him to do well without tinkering with the basics.

"I have got a lot of support from him (Virat). In fact, during the IPL, he came and said - 'Yuzi, jaise tu ball daalta hai hamesha, waise hi daal, koi changes mat laa (bowl the way you usually bowl, don't change anything). His words motivate me a lot. Not just on the field, he supports me off the field too. He (Virat) said - 'Yuzi, no need to think too much, it's just a phase, don't take the pressure and just back yourself'. Chahal further told TimesofIndia.com.

India will tour for a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, which comprises three ODIs and three T20Is.