IPL 2021 Exclusive: Deepak Chahar among top-5 bowlers for India right now, says Sanjay Manjrekar
Deepak Chahar was the star of the night for Chennai Super Kings against the Punjab Kings on Friday. The bowler took four wickets while conceding only 13 runs in his spell, ripping through the Punjab top-order.
Chahar dismissed Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda to put the side on backfoot, and the Punjab Kings failed to recover after the horrific start as they could only score 106/8 in 20 overs.
In India TV's post-match show 'Cricket Dhamaka', former Indian women captain Anjum Chopra and former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar talked about Chahar's brilliant outing on Friday.
Chopra said that she was "surprised" that Chahar did not make a single appearance in the five-match T20I series against England, which took place in March.
"He could've had two wickets in the first over itself (against PBKS). Chahar has the ability to get you early wickets, which is why I was very surprised that he didn't play a single game in the T20I series against England. I don't know if he was injured, but if he wasn't, I am very surprised," said Chopra.
Manjrekar, meanwhile, lauded Chahar's ability to generate swing early in the game and also added that the bowler is among the "top-5 or top-6" pacers in India.
"He can get the ball to swing. The batsmen are always tempted to play on the rise in T20s, so the ability to swing upfront is always going to benefit the bowler," said Manjrekar.
"The knuckle-ball to dismiss Chris Gayle and the short delivery to get Pooran were brilliant. Deepak Chahar is probably among the top-5 or top-6 bowlers in India right now."
