3 reasons why Deepak Chahar's return is a big boost to India's T20I side
Deepak Chahar has been included in India's squad for the remaining two matches of the five-match T20I series against Australia. Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar was granted release before the third game in Guwahati on Tuesday due to his marriage. However, he is set to rejoin the squad for the final two games.
In light of both teams resting key T20 players for this series, which commenced merely four days after the conclusion of the ODI World Cup. India won the first couple of matches. Australia made a comeback with a thrilling win in the third match of the five-match series.
Here we take a look at 3 reasons why Deepak Chahar's return is a big boost to India's T20I side:
#3 A proper lower order batter
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Deepak Chahar was useful with the bat – he scored 67 runs off 39 balls with a striking rate of 171.79. He has also made a strong start in the current 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the two matches played so far, he recorded an unbeaten 66 off 56 balls against Arunachal Pradesh and showcased his bowling skills with figures of 6 for 41 against Gujarat.
Chahar's return is particularly significant considering none of India's primary fast bowlers are any good with the bat. This development bodes well for India as they approach the T20 World Cup in June. Following the ongoing series against Australia, India have six more T20Is and the IPL before the World Cup takes place in the West Indies and the USA.
#2 Excellent in the powerplay
A crucial aspect of Chahar's bowling lies in his adeptness at generating swing early in the innings. His ability to swing the ball in either direction poses a significant threat, especially when batters are just starting their innings. In contrast, both Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar are more hit-the-deck pacers.
Deepak Chahar, renowned for his skill in swinging the ball both ways, could prove to be a valuable addition to the T20I side. His proficiency in taking early wickets could provide a substantial advantage to the team. The cricketer from Rajasthan has demonstrated this ability by securing over 50 percent of his T20I wickets with the new ball, underscoring his effectiveness during the powerplay.
#1 Skills in death overs
In the third T20I against Australia, India were found wanting as far the death bowling is concerned. Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Avesh Khan struggled to contain the rampant batters and this has been a problem with the side for a while now.
This is where Deepak Chahar comes in handy – he has developed into a good death overs specialist in the IPL and MS Dhoni trusts him to close out games. If he stays fit, he can be a great addition for India – not only T20Is but across formats since he can pick up wickets with the new ball, give control when the conditions are ripe and then offer useful runs with the bat.