The inspiring journey of 19-year-old leg-spinner Rahul Chahar
Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has been deservingly selected in India's T20I squad for their upcoming West Indies tour. The talented youngster has been rewarded for his impressive performances in the domestic circuit as well as in the Indian Premier League and for India A.
The 19-year-old bowled exceptionally well for his franchise, Mumbai Indians, during IPL 2019, helping them win their fourth title.
A roller-coaster journey
Rahul was in the reckoning for a berth in the India U-19 squad for the 2018 U-19 World Cup. Despite performing consistently in the preparatory matches leading up to the event, the skillful leg-break bowler narrowly missed out on making the cut for the marquee tournament in New Zealand, eventually being named a stand-by.
Interestingly, a phone call from Rahul Dravid motivated the youngster to keep working hard and make the most of every opportunity on offer.
Subsequently, his fortunes took a turn for the better and the youngster from Rajasthan was picked up by Mumbai Indians for a whopping INR 1.9 crore in the 2018 IPL auctions. Though Rahul could not make his debut for Rohit Sharma's side that season, he gained invaluable experience rubbing shoulders with the best in the business.
Determined to make it big, he left no stone unturned in his preparations, constantly working on his game day in and day out. The hard work paid off and he went on to become the leading wicket-taker for Rajasthan in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, finishing with 20 scalps in nine matches.
Chahar, an ardent admirer of Shane Warne, was a revelation for Mumbai Indians in the 2019 edition of the IPL, picking up 13 wickets from 13 matches at an impressive average of 23.69 and an economy rate of 6.55.
His stellar performances continued as he impressed on India A's tour to the West Indies, putting him in the reckoning for a call-up to the senior side. Now, that call-up has finally come as the 19-year-old has been included in India's T20 side against West Indies.
From being snubbed from the U-19 team at the eleventh hour to accomplishing his dream of earning a Team India call-up, Rahul's journey has been filled with peaks and valleys, and is clear evidence that all one needs to do to achieve their dream is work hard and keep moving forward.