IND vs ZIM 2022: "Deepak Chahar is still not out of the World Cup race" - Aakash Chopra lauds pacer's spell in 1st ODI
Aakash Chopra believes Deepak Chahar is still in contention for a spot in India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad.
Chahar registered figures of 3/27 in seven overs in the first ODI against Zimbabwe on Thursday, August 18. His spell helped the Men in Blue bowl out the hosts for just 189 runs. Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill then strung together an unbroken 192-run partnership as the visitors went on to register a resounding 10-wicket win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Chahar as his Player of the Match, elaborating:
"India decimated the opposition and there my Player of the Match has to be without a shadow of doubt - the guy is Deepak Chahar. His name is not there for the Asia Cup because he is making a comeback here but Deepak Chahar is still not out of the World Cup race."
Chopra highlighted that the Zimbabwe series is crucial for the Chennai Super Kings seamer's World Cup aspirations. The cricketer-turned-commentator said:
"Deepak shone and that shine was felt. He is coming back after a very long time. At the start, it seemed he was bowling within himself, wasn't going all out. This series is being considered extremely important for Deepak Chahar from the World Cup viewpoint."
Chopra added that good performances in ODI cricket can also help Chahar's cause. He reasoned:
"You might think the World Cup is of 20 overs and this is a 50-over match, so what is the connection? The connection is there, he has not played cricket for the last six months and is playing now. If he performs well, his name will also be put on the list."
Chahar last played a competitive game in February this year. He missed the entire IPL 2022 and other international games due to injury and has only been named as one of the reserves in India's Asia Cup squad.
"He has the ability and courage to bowl wicket-taking balls" - Aakash Chopra on Deepak Chahar
Aakash Chopra concluded by stating that Chahar's willingness to go after wickets stands him in good stead. The 44-year-old explained:
"The guy has class. His wrist has the skill to bowl outswing and inswing. He has the ability and courage to bowl wicket-taking balls. When he does that, he gets hit for fours but picks up wickets. He picked up three wickets right at the start. Deepak is back, which is such a fantastic story."
The return of Deepak Chahar is a big plus because if he can maintain fitness and rhythm, he can be a valuable part of the T20 squad. If he ticks those boxes, and if Harshal Patel can't recover in time, he will be in my T20 World Cup team.
Chahar has picked up 26 wickets in the 20 T20Is he has played thus far. His ability to contribute with the bat down the order gives him an edge over the other contenders for a seam-bowling position in India's T20 World Cup squad.