Young Rajasthan-born leg spinner Rahul Chahar is aiming to become an all-round cricketer in the shortest form of the game, seeing the tough competition for a playing slot he is up against.
“I was injured and could not play for two months. I then practiced hard for three months in Agra and then at the NCA (National Cricket Academy in Bangalore) by working on my batting,” said the 22-year-old after his IPL franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) chased down a stiff target of 206 set up by Royal Challengers Bangalore at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday night.
“I thought I could advance only if I do well in batting, bowling as well as in fielding as the competition is building up [for playing slots],” added the PBKS youngster. On Sunday, Chahar impressed with his cool demeanour in the face of a ferocious onslaught from RCB’s new skipper Faf du Plessis, who hammered 88 in just 57 balls, as he returned with fine figures of 1 for 22, his victim being rival opener Anuj Rawat whom he clean bowled off an attempted slog.
Chahar, who was not retained by his previous franchise Mumbai Indians and was bought at the auction by Punjab Kings, also said all his PBKS teammates were unfazed by the stiff target set by RCB which was overtaken with one over to spare by his team, an indication of how good the track played.
“The way the wicket behaved, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind about chasing down the target. All were positive in this aspect,” said Chahar, who got a chance to play a solitary game against lowly Scotland during India’s failed campaign in last year’s World T20 championship in the UAE.
Punjab built on a solid start of 71 provided by new skipper Mayank Agarwal (32) and the seasoned Shikhar Dhawan (43 off 29 balls), but suffered a mid-innings wobble when they lost Dhawan and Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa (43 in 22 studded with two fours and four sixes), Liam Livingstone and Raj Bawa.
However Punjab Kings finished off the game in explosive style, courtesy West Indian Odean Smith (25 not out off 8) and Shah Rukh Khan (24 not out off 20). Incidentally, Smith had leaked 52 runs in four wicket-less overs, but atoned for his profligacy with his batting pyrotechnics to take his side across the finish line.
