Deepak Chahar, Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) and India's star pacer, faced a series of setbacks due to recurring injuries, particularly concerning his hamstring. These injuries have intermittently sidelined Deepak Chahar from crucial tournaments and matches, including the South African tour and the T20I series against Afghanistan, with his last competitive cricket match dating back to December 2023.
MS Dhoni, behind the making of Chahar
CSK hold a significant place in Deepak Chahar's career trajectory. MS Dhoni-led CSK, have played an instrumental role in shaping Chahar's growth as a player, especially as a new ball bowler. Dhoni's astute utilisation of Chahar as a key bowler has often yielded early breakthroughs, meeting the team's expectations.
In addition to his prowess as a swing bowler, Chahar has proven himself as a capable batter too, showcasing his ability to contribute effectively down the order, often batting at number nine. Notably, in an ODI match against Sri Lanka, Chahar played a crucial innings, guiding India to victory with a stellar half-century.
The inclusion of Shardul Thakur further fortifies CSK's batting lineup, ensuring depth up to the ninth position. Reflecting on his batting skills during a public interaction in Chennai, Chahar recalled a significant instance in 2018 when MS Dhoni promoted him up the order, resulting in a match-winning performance. While acknowledging his limited opportunities with the bat, Chahar emphasized his readiness to contribute whenever required by the team.
Chahar all praise for captain cool Dhoni
“That was the only game where Mahi bhai [Dhoni] gave me batting before him and I scored some runs in that game. And we won that game. It has been good for the team because we haven’t needed my batting. Mahi bhai himself bats at No. 8 and I bat at No. 9 and you know that gives a lot of balance to the team and see the batters before us having this [depth],” Deepak Chahar said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Ahead of IPL 2024, Chennai Super Kings have bolstered their squad by including Kiwi players such as Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra, known for their proficiency against spin bowling. Additionally, the return of Shardul Thakur adds further complexity for MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming in achieving the team's optimal balance.
Chahar highlights Dhoni-Fleming's big headache
Deepak Chahar also highlighted Dhoni and Fleming's biggest headache ahead of IPL 2024, which will be to find ideal team composition. Chahar emphasised the abundance of options available, leaving it to Dhoni and Fleming to finalise the team lineup.
“We had a very good auction and I also said recently that we have such a good balance that Mahi bhai and Fleming will have problems to make the combinations. We will have plenty of combinations to play with, so they’re the ones who are going to decide. It’s challenging for them to pick the combination for the 22nd [March],” Chahar added.
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