IND vs SA: Deepak Chahar Is A Better Option Than Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Sanjay Manjrekar

Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said that Indian selectors should consider Deepak Chahar over Bhuvneshwar Kumar in white-ball formats.

On Sunday, South Africa eked out India in the final ODI match in Cape Town to win by four runs and whitewash the series 3-0.

South Africa opener Quinton de Kock smashed a scintillating 124 with Rassie van der Dussen continuing his tremendous form with 52 off 59 balls as the hosts were bowled out for 287.

Deepak Chahar got a couple of wickets in the first innings, first he bowled an excellent outswinger to induce the outside edge of Janeman Malan behind the stumps.

Later in the innings, Chahar bowled one short-length delivery to Aiden Markram, which the batter pulled early towards Ruturaj Gaikwad (substitute fielder) near the deep mid-wicket region.

Chahar also scored a vaillant 54 from 34 balls, plundering five boundaries and a couple of sixes at the strike rate of 158.82. However, Chahar’s fighting knock wasn’t enough as India fell short by four runs in their chase of 288.

Sanjay Manjrekar wants Deepak Chahar to play ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar for India in future

Chahar replaced senior bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the third ODI after the Uttar Pradesh pacer failed to bag a single wicket in the first two matches and also leaked 131 runs in both the games.

Manjrekar feels that Bhuvneshwar Kumar did find difficulty in making a comeback in the Indian team and Chahar could be preferred over the senior pacer.

“Bowling wise, Bhuvneshwar Kumar had given signs even before this series that he is finding it difficult to get back to his best. I guess that issue is closed after seeing his performance in the series. And Deepak Chahar, the one ball to get Janneman Malan, should tell selectors that he is a better option,” Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.

It has to be one of the poorest Indian tours to South Africa: Sanjay Manjrekar

India went to South Africa with the aim of winning their first-ever Test series in the Rainbow Nation but after winning the first Test in Centurion they slumped to a 1-2 loss in the three-match series.

If the Test series loss followed by Virat Kohli’s resignation as India’s red-ball skipper wasn’t enough, the whitewash in the ODI series added salt to the injury. Manjrekar termed India’s tour of South Africa 2021-22 as the poorest tour.

“The way the match ended sums up the whole trip for India. It has to be one of the poorest Indian tours to South Africa. That’s how it was destined to be. It just wasn’t India’s time in South Africa. It is a bad loss,” Manjrekar said.

De Kock, who amassed 229 runs to end up as the highest run-scorer of the ODI series, was adjudged as the player of the series.

Also Read: IND vs SA: I Like Scoring Against Everyone, Not Just India – Quinton de Kock