“Have confidence that this place is lucky for us” - Rahul Chahar on IPL 2021 returning to the UAE
Mumbai Indians’ (MI) young leg-spinner Rahul Chahar is confident the franchise will perform well in the UAE leg of IPL 2021. The 22-year-old said that he is getting positive vibes ahead of the event.
MI had a mixed run in the first half of IPL 2021 that was held in India. They won four and lost three of the seven matches that were played before the tournament was suspended due to COVID-19.
In a video uploaded on MI’s Twitter account, Rahul Chahar asserted the franchise’s confidence level is high since they won the IPL in the UAE last year.
Upon completing a training session, he said:
“I am personally very happy with how my first training session went. I did everything - bowling, fielding and running as well. I am slowly preparing my body for the matches. The reason why Mumbai Indians are so successful is because we prepare very well. We start preparing 2-3 months in advance and that shows on the ground.
“Obviously we are feeling good and we have fond memories of this place. Last time, we became champions here and all the players who participated, performed well. I am also feeling good and have the confidence that this place is lucky for us. I am getting that vibe that we will do well."
Team India will be tempted to pick Rahul Chahar for T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra
Following Rahul Chahar’s impressive performance in Sri Lanka, former India opener Aakash Chopra admitted that the think-tank might be tempted to pick the youngster for the T20 World Cup.
Although India lost the T20I series 1-2, Rahul Chahar stood out with figures of 3 for 15 in the final game, even though India were only defending a total of 81.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said:
"Chahar bowls with a lot of confidence and is incisive and accurate. He bowls quick through the air and the ball often zips past the batsman on pitching. From his action, it seems like he is bowling a googly when he is actually delivering a leg-spinner. He has got this mystery about him and variations, which remind me a little about Rashid Khan.”
Rahul Chahar was also impressive in the first half of IPL 2021, claiming 11 wickets in seven matches at a strike rate of 15.27 and an economy of 7.21.