Deepak Chahar’s ability to bounce back from injury has been tested at a particularly critical time in his career. He is building solid momentum towards his first World Cup appearance. It was his last competitive game of cricket before his match-winning comeback against Zimbabwe on Thursday.
Deepak Chahar was at the forefront of the new ball role in India’s T20I squad. He had also worked on his death-bowling skills, and proved it while playing for Chennai Super Kings. While in rehab after a quadriceps tear, Chahar had his back, which kept him out of the IPL and tours of England and West Indies.
Had Chahar been drawn for five T20 Internationals against West Indies, he could have presented a case for the World Cup, but now that he is no longer part of the Asia Cup squad.
It pays to be professional and philosophical about these things and do the best you can when it comes to whatever game you get. Chahar was not happy with the landing area when he started his new ball spell, but his attention to detail was evident. He was not taking any chances to return.
In these moments, it is not about selection for the World Cup, but enjoying the rare day when conditions are helping you.
“That [World Cup selection] is not in my hands,” Chahar said when asked if he thought he was back in the World Cup spot six-and-a-half months ago. “Skill-wise, though, I’ve worked really hard. There I can say that I probably started from where I left off. After the first over [when I had a run-up issue], I did what I wanted. Whatever was bowled, I was happy. It was a seven-over spell, so fitness is good.”
However, Deepak Chahar felt the pressure to regain his place in the team after a long break. Chahar said, ‘You have to make a place in the team again. “Because when you are away for a long time, others come and do well and make your way into the team. To make your place in the team again, you have to give good performances. So there is always pressure on comebacks. Stay tuned. Players. I had the same hope that when I come back I will do well because that’s all there is to a player’s hand.”
“My plan is always simple,” Chahar said. “When the ball is swinging, try to bowl full length and try to take as many wickets as possible. When the ball is not swinging, there is plan B or plan C. Today when I bowled, So it swings for six-seven overs, so I had a simple plan: bowl full balls, mix swings and confuse the batsmen.”
The question is not really about Chahar’s skills or his usefulness when it comes to World Cup selection. It’s all about his fitness – which he was happy to bowl 10 overs in the practice matches he played before returning, and then this seven-over spell – and the timing of his return. Do the selectors think it is too late to disrupt the combination they had settled on before Chahar’s return?
As Chahar said, it is not in their hands. So let’s just enjoy the early swing and wait for Plan B and C for the rest of this series.