IND vs SL 2021: "Watching MS Dhoni close out matches is a big factor" - Deepak Chahar opens up on his match-winning knock in 2nd ODI
Team India all-rounder Deepak Chahar has been hogging the headlines ever since his match-winning knock in the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka. Chahar's innings sealed the three-match series for the Men in Blue at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday night (20 July).
The all-rounder from Rajasthan scored an unbeaten 69 off 82 deliveries to guide India home from a tricky situation. Recollecting that exciting night, Deepak Chahar stated that watching MS Dhoni finish games from close quarters played a huge role.
Chahar paced his innings brilliantly and targeted the right bowlers to cross the line. Addressing a press conference, he said:
"Watching MS Dhoni close out matches has been a big factor. I have watched him for a long period and I have always seen him finishing matches. When you talk to him, he always tells you to take the game deep. Everyone wants us to win, but when the match goes deep, it is thrilling for everyone involved."
Incidentally, Deepak Chahar has worked with MS Dhoni at the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. The all-rounder has also time and again credited the former India skipper for his meteoric rise in international cricket.
When asked whether the bowler tag concerns him, Deepak Chahar shrugged aside all speculation. The 28-year-old stated that, as long as he can give confidence to his partner at the non-striker's end, he is happy to do the job.
"I have always worked on my batting, my father has been my coach. When I talk to him, we always talk about my batting. It does not matter whether people see me as an all-rounder or not. The batsman who is playing alongside me will get confidence that I can hang around and will not give my wicket away. It is very important for a batsman to know that his partner will support him. It does not matter whether people see me as an all-rounder or not."
"T20 World Cup is far, I want to make good use of chances" - Deepak Chahar
His all-round brilliance in the latest win over Sri Lanka has put Deepak Chahar in the fray for India's T20 World Cup squad. The tournament is scheduled to take place in the UAE and Oman later this year.
However, Chahar is not concerned about his selection and wants to capitalize on every opportunity that comes his way. He said:
"(T20) World Cup is far away, I have just one target and it is to prove myself with both bat and ball. The selection is not in my hands, it is not in the hands of any player. We can just perform, I was looking for an opportunity to show my capability with the bat. For the past two years, I did not get a chance to bat for a long period, so it was a good opportunity. I am happy I was able to make use of this chance."