Chennai Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar hadn’t played a T20 in almost six months before the start of the ongoing 16th season of the Indian Premier League. Having gained optimum fitness before the biggest T20 league around the world, Chahar could only play three T20s before missing another match due to an injury.
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Yet to pick a wicket across three IPL 2023 outings, Chahar leaked 94 runs in the nine overs he bowled against the likes of Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.
Not part of CSK’s second home match against Rajasthan Royals tonight, Chahar’s absence has made the franchise hand a debut to Nagaland pacer Akash Singh. Playing only his second IPL match, the 20-year old player had made his IPL debut for RR in the 14th season of the competition.
Why is Deepak Chahar Not Playing Today vs Rajasthan Royals?
Having done his hamstring on this particular occasion, Chahar bowled only one over against MI before being substituted by Ambati Rayudu as an Impact Player.
Chahar, has developed an unwanted and frustrating knack of suffering injuries, was out of the tour of Bangladesh due to a hamstring injury last year as well. The year 2022 also witnessed Chahar suffering a stress fracture on his back which kept him away from action for several months.
Considered as a pace-bowling all-rounder candidate for the national team not long ago, Chahar surely hasn’t done justice to his potential not because of form but because of fitness concerns. With a large part of IPL 2023 left to be played, one hopes for him to recover soon and contribute to Chennai’s cause.
“Let’s put it this way: there are quite a few in the last three or four years who are permanent residents of the NCA [National Cricket Academy],” former India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo recently regarding pacers getting injured frequently. “Soon, they’ll get a resident permit there to walk in any time they want, which is not a good thing at all. It’s unreal.”
