Deepak Chahar's Story Is All About Belief - Aakash Chopra Lauds Pacer For His 'Exemplary' Attitude With The Bat In 2nd ODI vs Sri Lanka
Published - 21 Jul 2021, 01:39 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:50 AM
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra waxed lyrical on Deepak Chahar after the pacer helped India win the second ODI versus Sri Lanka on Tuesday with his all-round performance.
After picking up a couple of wickets in Sri Lanka’s innings, chasing 276, Deepak Chahar starred with the bat scoring 69 runs off 82 balls in an 84-run eighth-wicket stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar after India were found reeling at 193-7.
Aakash Chopra, who had spent plenty of time up close with the Agra-born pacer, said that Deepak Chahar’s journey is inspiring as he had passed several hurdles in the lane to the top. He revealed that the right-hander would often talk about the improvements in his batting, and has grown in maturity over the years.
“Unlikely heroes of course. See if Deepak Chahar ended up picking a lot of wickets, we would all say par for the course. We all know that he can bat a little, but can he bat so well? Can he soak up that much of pressure?” Chopra told ESPNcricinfo.
“For Deepak, since I know him personally having spent a fair amount of time with him, his story is all about belief, about never say die, never give up. He would jokingly tell a lot of time ‘Bhaiya I am batting really well, middling the ball well’. This is a revelation of sorts. As much as it’s about his skills – he was batting ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar – the maturity with which he went about his business was exemplary,” he added.
This is the kind of innings I’ve been dreaming of: Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar said that he often dreamt of playing such a knock where he helps the side out of trouble and takes the team to the finish line. The Chennai Super Kings pacer also acknowledged the confidence and belief coach Rahul Dravid had put in his batting and stuck to his advice.
Also Read: Watch: Mickey Arthur And Dasun Shanaka Involved In Heated Exchange After Sri Lanka vs India 2nd ODI
