Know Your Player – Deepak Chahar
Cricketing milestones, rise through the ranks, trials and tribulations and their glamorous lifestyles – we cover it all in ‘Know Your Player’, a brand-new section aimed at keeping you updated with everything you need to know! In this edition, we take a look at India’s swing bowler who is fast turning into a bowling all-rounder for Chennai Super Kings, Deepak Chahar. Here’s all you need to know about him.
The Rise
It was Deepak’s father, Lokendrasingh Chahar, who originally dreamed of becoming a cricketer. But when he could not achieve his dream, he put all his efforts into ensuring that his son will fulfil it. After retiring from the Indian Air Force, Lokendrasingh used his savings to build two pitches for Deepak to practice upon. It was here that Deepak and Rahul would hone their cricketing skills.
At the age of 16, Deepak was rejected by Greg Chappell, who was the head of the Rajasthan Cricket Academy at that point in time. Years later, the swing bowler made a sensational entry in first-class cricket as his debut spell of 8/10 saw Hyderabad being bowled out for just 21 runs. Despite the early success, Chahar failed to be consistent with the ball and slipped out of the reckoning.
By 2018, Chahar managed to crack the 20-over format. His bowling performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy saw him earning a hefty IPL contract. In the same year, he represented India in both T20Is and ODI. While he is yet to establish himself in the Indian cricket team, Chahar is among the talent pool that the nation is looking forward to.
Career highlights:
Off The Field:
Chahar hogged the headlines in IPL 2021 following Chennai Super Kings’ encounter against Punjab Kings at the Dubai International Stadium. He proposed to his girlfriend, Jaya Bhardwaj, in front of everyone in the stands. The event took social media by storm. Other than that, Deepak is fairly active on all social media platforms. He has been battling through his injuries and is aiming for a comeback to international cricket.
