Rahul Chahar doesn't get perturbed if he is hit for boundaries: Laxman Sivaramakrishnan
Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan is highly impressed with young leg-spinner Rahul Chahar’s positive attitude. According to Sivaramakrishnan, Chahar doesn’t mind getting hit, which is a significant quality for a slow bowler.
Chahar, who has become an integral part of the IPL’s most successful franchise - the Mumbai Indians - over the past few seasons, has played three T20Is for India so far. He is part of the squad for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to PTI, Sivaramakrishnan opined that Chahar would be one of the bowlers to watch out for in Sri Lanka. He said:
"Rahul Chahar seems to be a very attacking bowler. His body language is good, he has got all the variations. He doesn’t mind getting hit. He doesn't get perturbed if he has gone for a four or six. This is something I like.”
"In the middle overs, you have to get wickets otherwise batsmen will take you for runs towards the end... That's why he is making a big difference for MI by picking up wickets in the middle overs. He is a new commodity like Varun, so nobody knows the variations that he has, how he sets up a batsman, how he is going to bowl,” Sivaramakrishnan added about Chahar.
The 21-year-old Chahar has 41 wickets in 38 IPL matches at a strike rate of just under 20 and an economy rate of 7.41.
Good opportunity for Varun Chakravarthy to prove himself: Sivaramakrishnan
Apart from Chahar, another newcomer, Varun Chakravarthy, could also be seen in action in Sri Lanka. Chakravarthy has been picked in the Indian team before but ended up getting injured and had to be ruled out.
Sivaramakrishnan said about Indian spinners in Lanka:
"Of course I would like to see Chahal do well...I would like to see Kuldeep Yadav do well. But I will also keep an eye on Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar. He (Varun) has to play and prove himself. Luckily he is getting a break against Lanka, who have not done well in the recent past. So they won't be high on confidence. With the right guidance and the right strategy set up for Varun, I think if he does well against Sri Lanka that will also give him confidence."
The Sri Lanka series could also see the reunion of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who have struggled in international cricket of late. According to Sivaramakrishnan, a lot of people have analyzed their bowling styles and are playing them much better these days.
The former India leggie opined about the duo:
“You have got to keep adding variations to your bowling every year, every season. When you saw Shane Warne, (Muttiah) Muralitharan, and Anil Kumble succeed, they developed variations over a period of time, so that they did not get predictable. When you get predictable it gives the batsmen that more chance of succeeding. He knows what the bowler is going to do.”
The India-Sri Lanka series will begin with the first ODI in Colombo on Sunday, July 18.