Rohan Gavaskar feels it is too early to say if Deepak Chahar should be in India’s 2022 T20I World Cup squad based on his performance in just one game.
Deepak Chahar registered figures of 3/27 in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday, August 18. His early strikes helped the Men in Blue bowl out the hosts for just 189 runs and the visitors went on to register an emphatic 10-wicket win.
Rohan Gavaskar: Deepak Chahar Will Definitely Be In The Reckoning If He Shows Consistent Performances Like The 1st ODI Against Zimbabwe
During an interaction, Rohan Gavaskar was asked whether Deepak Chahar’s performance will help his cause to be a part of the upcoming 2022 T20I World Cup squad.
Rohan Gavaskar replied: “Absolutely, but it’s only one match. He has come back from a long injury layoff. It’s one match, he has done really well. He had control over inswing and outswing. But again what we did see yesterday was that there were a couple of loose deliveries from him.”
Rohan Gavaskar reckons the swing bowler will certainly be in the mix if he continues to perform the way he did in the first game.
The former Indian all-rounder Rohan Gavaskar said: “That also was because he was rusty, there would have been a little bit of nerves, making a comeback after a big injury break. But he has done his chances no harm. If he keeps performing like he has in that first ODI, he is definitely throwing his hat in the ring to be selected.”
Deepak Chahar is returning to top-flight cricket after nearly seven months. He played his last cricket in February and will be auditioning in the 50-over format for a place on the T20I team, which may not be ideal but, under the circumstances, it is the best-case scenario.
For Deepak Chahar, what was to be a six-week layoff for a left quadricep injury, took more than six months and multiple rehabilitation stints at the National Cricket Academy to fix. It meant Deepak Chahar, the second-most expensive pick at the IPL 2022 auction, missed the entire season for Chennai Super Kings and all subsequent cricket for the national team.
He showed his recently developed big-hitting exploits with match-turning knocks: 69* (against Sri Lanka), 54 (against South Africa), and 38 (against West Indies). He has played only 8 ODIs scoring 179 runs averaging 59.67 and taking 13 scalps averaging 26.15.
He was the Man of the Match in the 1st ODI against Zimbabwe, picking career-best 3/27 in a fantastic 7-over spell after returning to the XI but was dropped for the 2nd ODI.
Saba Karim Hails Deepak Chahar’s Superb Comeback
Saba Karim was also asked about his views on Deepak Chahar’s comeback.
The former Indian selector responded: “Superb comeback, after a long layoff it is not easy, more so for a pace bowler to get his rhythm. But he did all that quite easily. Excellent control over the swinging deliveries. Precision in line and length, extremely immaculate.”
While lauding Deepak Chahar for effectively using the short ball, Saba Karim opined that the Agra-born pacer will certainly be in the selectors’ scheme of things.
“He had the smartness to bowl a short delivery that helped him to pick up the first wicket.
“These are healthy signs for Deepak Chahar and I am sure with this kind of performance, it will really help the Indian selectors to also think of him as an incredible addition to India’s white-ball teams.”
Deepak Chahar surprised Innocent Kaia with a short delivery and had him caught by Sanju Samson behind the wickets. Tadiwanashe Marumani and Wesley Madhevere were his other victims, both falling prey to pitched-up swinging deliveries.