KM Asif IPL 2021: Why is Deepak Chahar not playing today’s IPL 2021 match vs Rajasthan Royals?

Deepak Chahar not playing: Chennai Super Kings have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI after qualifying for IPL 2021 playoffs.

During the 47th match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in Abu Dhabi, Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has won the toss and chose to field.

Having won only four and lost seven out of their 11 matches this season, Royals need to win all their remaining matches to be in contention for the playoffs. Even three victories will mean that Royals will have to bank on their NRR (Net Run Rate).

In a bid to to field their best Playing XI for this all-important match against a top team, Rajasthan have made as many as five changes to their Playing XI dropping the likes of Mahipal Lomror, Riyan Parag, Liam Livingstone, Chris Morris and Kartik Tyagi.

As a result, RR have handed debuts to wicket-keeper batter Glenn Phillips and fast bowler Akash Singh. In addition to the two debutants, Royals have also included batter David Miller, all-rounder Shivam Dube and spinner Mayank Markande.

Why is Deepak Chahar not playing vs Rajasthan Royals?

Much like Samson, Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also wanted to field first. Unlike RR, CSK have already qualified for the playoffs.

It is perhaps due to the same reason that Dhoni confirmed a couple of changes to their Playing XI as all-rounder Sam Curran and pacer KM Asif have been included as like-for-like replacements for Dwayne Bravo and Deepak Chahar.

“We would have liked to bowl first, because the wicket here will stay the same. We are one side who don’t make many changes. Sam [Curran] comes in for [Dwayne] Bravo and [KM] Asif comes in for Deepak [Chahar].

KMon Mone! 💛#RRvCSK #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁 pic.twitter.com/ePZ5qT4s02

— Chennai Super Kings – Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) October 2, 2021

“We are playing back-to-back games, so it’s important to keep the players fresh. It’s better to rest them. The weather will keep getting better from now, and it will be the perfect weather during the World Cup,” Dhoni told Star Sports at the toss.

In the 11 matches that Chahar has played this season, he has picked 11 wickets at an average of 28.27, an economy rate of 7.77 and a strike rate of 21.8. As far as Asif is concerned, the 28-year old player will be playing an IPL match after three years. In his two-match IPL career (for CSK), Asif has picked three wickets at an average of 25, an economy rate of 12.50 and a strike rate of 12.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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