Deepak Chahar has been in the news since then he has taken a six-wickets haul. However, his father thinks “He must have bowled at least one lakh deliveries in the nets before this performance came along.” Chahar’s 3.2-0-7-6 is the best T20I figure in the men’s T20I record.
“Now I feel that the dream that we both had harboured is slowly getting realised,” said Lokendrasingh Chahar while speaking to PTI from his Agra residence.
Deepak, first came into the limelight as an 18-year-old, when he took 8/10 in his Ranji Trophy debut with Hyderabad being all-out for 21. His eight-wicket haul is one of the most-watched domestic cricket videos on YouTube as well. He made a grand entry into the domestic circuit with a whopping 40-plus wicket for the Ranji Trophy-winning Rajasthan side but injuries posed the handle in the next few years.
“I would say he sustained injuries at important phases of his career. The timing of the injury also becomes very important,” said Lokendrasingh.
After 10 wickets in the 2018 season, Deepak Chahar took 22 wickets and was in the stand-by in India’s World Cup squad in England as well. On the other hand, Former India cricketer and analyst Deep Dasgupta, who has watched a lot of Chahar in domestic cricket, thinks the change took place during the 2019 IPL.
“Deepak always knew how to swing with the red ball. But in 2018, with no Dwayne Bravo, MS (Dhoni) entrusted him with extra responsibility on Powerplay overs as well as at the death. That was the turning point,” Dasgupta said. “He learnt to bowl in not-so swing friendly conditions. He learnt to bowl the wide yorkers, the wide slowers.”
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Originally hailing from Agra, the Chahar family were initially settled in Ganganagar, Rajasthan when was employed with the Indian Air Force.
“When I quit my job in the Indian Air Force, I knew what I was doing. I never felt that it was a sacrifice. I knew that my son had potential when I saw him play as a 12-year-old. He had a few natural qualities,” said Lokendrasingh Chahar said.
“I wanted to become a cricketer but my father didn’t allow me. So when it came to my son, I wanted him to realise his dream which was my dream too. I had no formal coaching degree but I learnt just to guide Deepak,” he added.
Along with Deepak Chahar, his first cousin Rahul, a leg-spinner also came in the T20 squad.
“He couldn’t attend regular school after eighth standard due to intense nature of the training. Tab din ke 24 ghante bhi kam lagte the (Even 24 hours didn’t seem enough). Training, gym, rest and recovery. He did complete his graduation though,” Lokendrasingh said. “My all time favourite is Malcolm Marshall and I also admire Dale Steyn. I would watch their videos, their wrist position while bowling outswing, listen to commentators and then work with Deepak on what I could gather… It would be great if he gets to play the traditional format,” the father concluded.
