Twitter reacts as Deepak Chahar rattles Zimbabwe top-order on return

Deepak Chahar, playing his first competitive game after a gap of nearly six months, bagged three quick wickets in the first ODI between Zimbabwe and India in Harare on Thursday, August 18.
 By CX Staff Writer Updated: Aug 18, 2022, 17:01 IST
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Chahar returned 3/27 from seven overs with the new ball.

Deepak Chahar unleashed magic with the new ball on his return in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare on Wednesday, helping India reduce the hosts to 31/4 in the 11th over after KL Rahul opted to bowl.

Chahar troubled openers Innocent Kaia and Tadiwanashe Marumani with swing and seam first up, before a surprise bouncer got the better of the former, who edged one behind to Sanju Samson while attempting a pull.

In his next over, he induced an outside edge off left-hander Marumani through to the keeper, using the right-arm over angle.

Mohammed Siraj then joined the act, dismissing the experienced Sean Williams, who was undone by extra bounce and nicked one to Shikhar Dhawan at the first slip. Chahar then had Wesley Madhevere leg-before to bag his third wicket for the day. He bowled seven straight overs with the new ball, returning 3/27.

The right-arm quick had last played at any representative level in the home T20I series against West Indies in February this year. He was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings for INR 14 crore at the IPL 2022 mega auctions, but missed the competition, and subsequent international cricket series, having picked up a back injury. He underwent rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where he was recovering from the quadricep tear, before being cleared fit for the ongoing series.

Sikandar Raza, who had starred in Zimbabwe’s recent triumph against Bangladesh, was dismissed by Prasidh Krishna for 12, as the hosts stumbled to 66/5. Prasidh dismissed Ryan Burl to bag his second, and Zimbabwe were 87/6 from 21 overs at the time of writing.

Here's how Twitter reacted to Deepak Chahar's brilliance with the new ball:

 

India have gone in with Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounders Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda as spin-bowling options. Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill are slated to open the batting, with Ishan Kishan slotted in at No. 3. Skipper KL Rahul, who returns to the field for the first time since the completion of IPL 2022, will bat at No.4, followed by Samson and Hooda.

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