Deepak Chahar returned to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after suffering a hamstring injury in an IPL match against Mumbai Indians (MI) last month.
Earlier this month, the 30-year-old made his comeback against the Lucknow Super Giants. He appeared rusty in that match, which was later wiped out owing to rain, surrendering 41 runs in four overs.
Chahar, on the other side, appears to be rediscovering his finest form. He has played well in the last two matches despite not being fully healthy. In each of those games, he bowled three overs, with figures of 2/18 against Mumbai and 2/28 against the Delhi Capitals (DC), assisting CSK to an important victory.
The medium pacer’s return to form bodes well for the four-time winners as they reach the tournament’s crucial rounds.
On that topic, here are three reasons why Deepak Chahar’s return to form is such an asset to the Chennai Super Kings:
1) Deepak Chahar has to be the leader of this bowling attack
Chennai has depended on its junior bowlers to do the job in the recent several seasons. The MS Dhoni factor is generally in the spotlight, with young bowlers developing and blossoming under their captain’s guidance.
The pace attack, with players like Tushar Deshpande and Matheesha Pathirana, is relatively inexperienced at the top level, with spinners typically being their lethal weapon in the middle overs.
So it will be up to Deepak Chahar to lead this pace team, bringing tremendous expertise to the table.
2) Lethal with the new ball
Wickets in the powerplay have been an area of focus for CSK in recent years. Deshpande has been playing well, with Akash Singh stepping in wonderfully, but neither player has the same threat with the new ball as Chahar.
With Pathirana doing admirably at the tail end of the innings, the team has the option of overloading Chahar’s overs in the earlier part of the innings, when he is most efficient. Dhoni has utilised this tactic effectively in the past and may do it again.
3) Can provide some batting depth
The Super Kings’ batting lineup is strong enough to take advantage of most matchups that come their way.
With their top and middle orders generating the majority of the damage this season, their finishers have yet to find their stride and make a serious run in this tournament.
Regardless, the team has embraced the strategy of batting with a persistent aggressive purpose. Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja haven’t been at their best either, so the medium pacer with the willow might come in handy.