"I am fully fit and preparing well for the IPL" - Deepak Chahar raring to return following multiple injury setbacks

Team India all-rounder Deepak Chahar had a forgettable 2022 due to injury issues. He missed the entirety of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) and could only make a brief return to the national team before sustaining another injury.

He was ruled out of the 2022 T20 World Cup 2022 but featured in the away series against New Zealand and Bangladesh. The all-rounder, who was roped in for a massive sum of ₹14 crore, was a huge miss for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2022, as they finished ninth in the points table.

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Stating that the injury issues are behind him now and his focus is now on IPL 2023, Chahar told PTI:

"I working hard for the past two three months on my fitness, I am fully fit and preparing well for the IPL. I had two big injures. One was stress fracture and one was quad grade 3 tear. They are both are very big injuries. You are out for months. Anyone who comes back after the injury it takes time, especially for the fast bowlers."

Chahar continued:

"If I was a batter I would be playing way back long but as a fast bowler, when you have a stress fracture, it is very tough to get back on track. You can see other bowlers struggling with the back as well."

The all-rounder also partook in a Ranji Trophy fixture to kick-start his 2023. He played for Rajasthan in their clash against Services on 24 January, where he claimed two wickets and scored 26 runs across both innings.

"My motive is to get fully fit and perform with the ball and bat 100 percent" - Deepak Chahar

Even with limited opportunities over the course of 2022, Chahar made an all-round impact. He underwent rehabilitation work at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. However, he failed to make the cut for the home season and his next major endeavor is likely to be in the form of the IPL.

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Stating that he is confident of maintaining his place in the Indian team should he remain injury-free, Chahar said:

"I have lived by one rule all my life. If I am fully bowling the way I want, if I am batting the way I want, there is no stopping me. That was the basic rule with which I started my career."

He continued:

"I don't care who is playing, who is not playing , my motive is to get fully fit and perform with the ball and bat 100 per cent. If I do that, I will get my chance."

Will Deepak Chahar stake his claim for Team India's 2023 ODI World Cup? Let us know what you think.