Deepak Chahar. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)
Deepak Chahar has made a remarkable comeback in IPL 2023 after getting injured in CSK’s third fixture of the season against Mumbai Indians. The right-arm seamer picked up two wickets for 29 runs in four overs against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 and helped CSK enter a record tenth record final. The 30-year-old picked up prized scalps of Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha to break the back of GT’s batting.
The seamer also took the final catch of the match to seal the game for CSK as he ran a long way from mid-on to dismiss Mohammed Shami. Chahar was seen in a bit of trouble after he completed the catch as he seemed to have pulled a muscle. However, speaking about his fitness after the game, Chahar said that everything was okay.
“Everything’s okay, one more to go. I think the length, we saw them bowling, it was sticking and we decided to bowl a full length, didn’t experiment too much, let them (the batters) take the risks. Chasing 170 in a semi-final with the crowd against you is difficult. We have the belief, we have done it so many times (on reaching the finals), the benefit of having seniors in big contests matter a lot, we have been there previously and it does help,” he told Star Sports after the match.
After getting injured in the game against Mumbai, Chahar made a comeback in CSK’s tenth fixture against Lucknow Super Giants. He went on to pick 12 wickets in the next five matches to announce his return in style. In the nine matches played so far in the tournament, Chahar has picked 12 wickets at an average of 21.58 and an economy of 8.63.
The Uttar Pradesh-born seamer has been struggling with injuries over the past year which even made him miss IPL 2022. However, Chahar has risen against the odds and put on a magnificent show with the ball.
Meanwhile, CSK entered the IPL final by beating Gujarat Titans by 15 runs in the first qualifier on May 23 and will play the final on May 28 in Ahmebadad. After being put in to bat, CSK posted 172/7 courtesy of a brilliant knock from Ruturaj Gaikwad (60 off 44). In reply, GT were bowled out for 157 as all of CSK’s bowlers came to the party.