Cricket

Asia Cup 2022: If Bumrah and Shami are not available, Deepak Chahar can be the wicket-taking with the new ball – Laxmipathy Balaji

Former Indian fast bowler Laxmipathy Balaji believes Deepak Chahar can be India’s wicket-taking option if Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are not available. Chahar recently made a return to International cricket in the series against Zimbabwe.

Chahar scalped three wickets in the opening ODI game of the series as he got the ball to swing in the PowerPlay overs. The fast bowler was able to get rid of Zimbabwe’s top three batters and he was also awarded the Player of the Match.

Surprisingly, Chahar didn’t play in the second game but he was a bit expensive in the third match of the series. Thus, the fast bowler from Agra was able to the ground running after making a return to competitive cricket after six months.

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a back injury while Mohammad Shami was not picked in the squad.

Meanwhile, Balaji feels Chahar should have been picked in the Asia Cup squad. The fast bowler was not selected for the Asia Cup but he is included in the standby players list.

“What he was doing in Zimbabwe straightaway on his return to international cricket was like he just pressed the resume button and got into his wicket-taking abilities. Chahar has been phenomenal with his work ethic. He has got a lot of variations. His ability to bowl swing and seam, and pick up wickets with the new ball makes him special. When you have the skills like he has with the new ball, it is a treat to watch. Very rarely do you get to see swing and seam with the new ball in today’s cricket. It is more of hit-the-deck type,” Balaji told News18.com in an interview.

“In the UAE, where the new ball skills are needed to make early inroads into the opposition batting, what you want is wickets upfront with the new ball. If Chahar gives you those early wickets, you have to look at him as a first-choice. But, there are a lot of bowlers and there is a lot of competition. You want wicket-taking bowlers with the new ball. If Bumrah and Shami are not available, Chahar is the one who provides that,” he added.

Chahar has the ability to swing the new ball in the PowerPlay overs but one gets the feeling that Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been doing a consistent job in the recent past, might pip him in the T20 World Cup squad as both of them are similar kind of bowlers.

Kumar will lead India’s pace attack in the Asia Cup.

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers India's prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Cricket World Cup and many more. Follow DafaNews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,Telegram and Youtube for more updates.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

“Never expected a very easy run” – Gautam Gambhir reflects on his tenure as coach after IND vs NZ 2024 Test series defeat

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has admitted that he never expected a very easy run… Read More

October 31, 2024

Probably has a lot to do with playing on flat wickets in T20 – Gautam Gambhir on decline of good defensive technique in Test cricket

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir feels T20 cricket has led to the downfall of a… Read More

October 31, 2024

India needs Mumbai Test win before Australia tour – Gautam Gambhir

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir feels the Rohit Sharma-led team desperately needs to win the… Read More

October 31, 2024

I cannot say just the batters have let us down – Gautam Gambhir feels everyone should take responsibility for series loss against New Zealand

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir refused to blame the batters after the team’s 2-0 series… Read More

October 31, 2024

It was insane – Bronny James after scoring his first NBA bucket

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James was on cloud nine after he managed to score… Read More

October 31, 2024

I’m happy with my team’s performance: Mohun Bagan SG head coach Jose Molina after win against Hyderabad FC

Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Jose Molina was delighted with the team’s performance after… Read More

October 31, 2024