India vs West Indies | It will be a dream come true to play alongside Deepak, says Rahul Chahar
IPL
Rahul Chahar has expressed his happiness about being united with his cousin Deepak Chahar in the Indian team during the Windies tour. He has also added that he was never fussed about being selected in the Indian team and always wanted to give his best in whatever matches he plays at any level.
Deepak Chahar and Rahul Chahar became the sensational duo in the Indian cricket while playing for Rising Pune Supergiant and although the brothers set out on a different mission - Deepak went on to play for Chennai Super Kings and Rahul became a mainstay in Mumbai Indians - they have remained as successful as they have ever been. While Rahul’s progression has been a rapid one at that, Deepak, who had already represented India in the senior level last year, has a more balanced one at that. However, the reunion in the Indian colours is not a small thing and Rahul is savouring it.
“During our childhood days, my tau ji (uncle) told us (Deepak and Rahul) that he wants both of us to play for India someday and that too in the same eleven. I hope the dream will soon come true. I want to dedicate all our success to him, who has sacrificed everything to help us reach this level. It will be a big day for him if he sees both of us featuring in the same eleven," Rahul Chahar told TimesofIndia.com.
“We are actually living his (Chahar's uncle) dream right now. I am really thankful to God for making this possible. I am happy that I have my name in the India squad alongside my brother Deepak. If given a chance, both of us will do well,"he added.
A fine turner of the ball, Rahul actually started his career as a fast bowler but Deepak’s insistence made him choose leg-spin as an option. Since his childhood, his uncle used to show him Shane Warne’s bowling videos and Rahul believes it made him better as a leg-spinner.
“Initially, I wanted to become a fast-bowling all-rounder. It requires a lot of energy to bowl fast and I was lacking in that department. Deepak bhaiya (Deepak Chahar) used to watch me closely and one day he said - “ tu leg spin hi daal, tu fast bowler nahi ban sakta” (You bowl leg spin only, you can’t become a fast bowler). Then I tried my hand at leg spin and believe me I could turn the ball perfectly. That's how I became a leg-spinner. I was just 8 when I started bowling leg spin. My uncle used to bring DVDs and show me Warne’s videos. He always told me learn this amazing art from this god-gifted player (Warne),” Chahar said.
“I used to watch Warne closely and tried to copy his action. I used to see the way he grips the ball. I still watch his videos and learn from him. He used to say - Warne ko dhyan se dekh, seekh, aur aise hi turn karani hai bade hoke (Watch Warne carefully, learn and turn the ball the way he does when you grow up),” the leg-spinner added.
After picking 13 wickets at an average of 23.69 for Mumbai Indians in the 2019 Indian Premier League, selectors named Chahar in the two-match unofficial Test series against Sri Lanka in which Chahar claimed eight wickets in the first match and then took a five-wicket haul and scored 84 in the second match. In the subsequent India A tour of the Caribbean, Chahar claimed 6 wickets in the ODI series which propelled his selection in the senior Indian side.
“I was sleeping. It was four in the morning (in the Caribbean). All of a sudden, my phone started buzzing. It was flooded with congratulatory messages for my selection. It was a dream come true,” Chahar told Timesofindia.com in an exclusive interview.
“Honestly, selection was not on my mind. I am a guy who lives in the present. I give my best in whatever I do. I just wanted to concentrate on India A matches (against West Indies A). I performed and the selectors were happy with my show. That’s why they gave me the opportunity. I performed well against Sri Lanka as well. I will give my best. When I take the ball, I don’t think about the result. I will do the same if I get a chance to play against West Indies. It's a proud feeling for me to be in the India squad. I promise, if given a chance, I will not disappoint my captain," a confident Chahar said.
