IPL 2019 | Deepak Chahar shares MS Dhoni's unhappiness with Chepauk pitch

04/10/2019

Deepak Chahar has stated that CSK is looking for a better wicket to play on, speaking on similar lines with his skipper MS Dhoni. The pacer was quick to clarify that blame is not to be put on the groundsmen of Chepauk, but Chennai’s soil and humid weather that affects the nature of the pitch.

The pitch at Chepauk, also called as the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which is Chennai Super Kings’ home venues, has traditionally been on the slower side. But in this year’s Indian Premier League, the ball has been turning from the very first over, making it very difficult for batsmen to score runs. Royal Challengers Bangalore were wrapped for up meagre 70 runs in the first match of the league, and on Wednesday, the Kolkata Knight Riders could only manage 108 runs in total.

This did not bode well for the T20 format, and CSK skipper MS Dhoni, despite winning all the matches here, until now, was not happy with the wicket. Pacer Deepak Chahar, who scalped three wickets in Tuesday’s game, has also echoed with his skipper’s thoughts.

“I’m happy I performed well, but obviously we’re looking for a better wicket,” said Chahar, at the post-match press conference, reported PTI.

“Nobody wants this type of a wicket. It is because of the soil and heat. It’s too hot here and the pitch curators are doing their best job to give us a good track. But, at the end of the day you can’t help it,” he added.

In CSK’s previous game against Kings XI Punjab, the Rajasthan pacer was handed over the ball in the 19th over, when 39 runs were required. But in the very first delivery, the ball slipped from Chahar’s hand and ended up bowling a full toss above the waist height, resulting in a no ball. He repeated the same mistake in the next ball, which was a free hit. He had given away eight runs in the process as the first no ball was hit for a four, and in the second one went for a two.

The skipper was visibly furious with Chahar and was seen walking up and talking to him in an animated fashion. It was very unlikely of ‘Captain Cool’, but fortunately, the pacer did make a comeback by only giving away five runs after the mishap. This incident became a talking point on social media and other platforms, and the pacer spilled some beans over it.

“I have got thousands of messages asking the same question. I think he was angry. If I were the captain I would have also got angry. 39 runs suddenly became 31 runs off 12 balls. He was angry on the selection of the ball. The selection of the ball was not good,” he explained.

Chahar has usually bowled in the powerplay overs and his quota of overs are generally exhausted in a single spell. However, after Dwayne Bravo suffered a hamstring strain in the match against Kings XI Punjab on April 6, the right-handed pacer, along with new recruit Scott Kuggeleijn, has been bowling in the death overs. The duo has been phenomenal in the two matches, in which they have bowled in the death overs even tying KKR’s Andre Russell to the ground, in the last one.

“I have been bowling in the powerplays only. Bravo got injured, so we didn’t have someone to bowl at the death overs. I was prepared for it. This time in last two matches I have got the opportunity,” the 26-year-old stated.

The pacer has been around in the cash-rich league for a while. He was a part of Rajasthan Royals but never got a game before he went to Rising Pune Supergiants and debuting for them in the 2016 season. However, he could only play five games in two seasons and his breakthrough season eventually was in 2018. He took 10 wickets in 12 matches for CSK last season and consequently debuted for India in July during the T20 series in England.

The pacer has come a long way after being rejected by Greg Chappell as a fast bowler, way back in 2008, and feels he has improved greatly since last year. “I was preparing for it. Last year we played a lot of matches in Pune where the conditions were helpful for fast bowling. There was seam and swing. This year we knew that we will be playing a lot of matches in Chennai, I practised in that sense. I am better than last year,” he stated.

“At this level you need confidence. Last year’s performance gave me a lot of confidence. Playing for India also helped,” he signed off.