After a tumultuous period on his personal front, dealing with loss and injury, Indian pacer Deepak Chahar says he’s ready to make his mark on the international stage again and is actively eyeing a spot on the national side’s squad for the upcoming T20I World Cup in the Americas.
Chahar had undergone a series of unfortunate events towards the end of the past year and was forced to miss India’s tour of South Africa in December and the home series against Afghanistan after his father suffered a brain stroke, from which he has recovered now.
“For me, my father comes first. I am here only because of him. Whatever I have achieved is because of my father. If I am not there for him in those situations, then obviously, what kind of son I am?,” Chahar exclaimed in an exclusive interview with PTI.
“If the series was in India, then I would have surely tried to play. You can come to the hospital if you need within 4-5 hours. But obviously, (from) South Africa it takes 2-3 days to come back. “It was an easy decision to be with my father — any son would do that,” he added.
Despite the time constraints he faced with regards to fitness training, Chahar stated that he continues to work on his readiness at the NCA as he eyes a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
“I was with my father in the hospital for 25 days. He was not in Agra. He was admitted in Aligarh. We all had to stay there,” he said. “I was only able to do some exercises. I was not able to do any cricketing activities. That’s why I was not ready for the Afghanistan series. I had not practised for a month or so.
“After that I went to the NCA. I started my practice again and now I am fully fit. Everything is good. I trained really hard for the IPL and the World Cup,” he added.
For Chahar, gaining a spot in the squad is more than just an honour. It is personal redemption for having missed out on the last two T20I World Cup, owing to the very same problem that continues to plague him in his career: injuries.
“I have missed two (T20) World Cups because of my injuries. If I was fully fit, I would have been a part of the World Cup team as well. In any scenario or (in) any team combination, there is always a requirement for a bowler who can bat at No. 7, 8, 9. I have done that and scored runs for the Indian team,” he said.
Deepak Chahar has played 25 matches to date in his T20 career and he took 31 wickets, with an average of 24.10, conceding nearly 8.30 runs per over with a best individual figure of 6 for 7.
(with inputs from agencies)
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