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Tag: Rahul Chahar

  • My long association with MI will not come in the way of doing my job for PBKS: Rahul Chahar

    By IANS

    PUNE: Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has asserted that his long association with Mumbai India (MI) will not come in the way of his job when his side takes on the Rohit Sharma-led five-time IPL champions at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here later on Wednesday.

    The 22-year-old Chahar also indicated that he is making “specific plans” for the MI batters, who have struggled for form in IPL 2022, unable to open their account on the points’ tables after four defeats.

    Chahar is currently in great form, having picked seven wickets from four games so far. He was an integral part of Mumbai Indians for four seasons, from 2018 till 2021.

    With Chahar in their ranks, PBKS would hope to pile more misery on MI, given that they have the advantage of having someone who knows the opposition inside-out.

    “I will definitely try to give my hundred per cent as always. Mainly, there are two or three batters who are challenging to bowl against that I have my eye on. Suryakumar Yadav, for instance, is in great form. Rohit (Sharma), too, is a top batter,” Chahar said, indicating that he would be targeting two of MI’s mainstays.

    “I am preparing well for them and looking forward to bowling to them. I am also making specific plans for all of these guys, let’s see how it goes,” Chahar added.

    Chahar revealed how having a familiar opponent is nothing new to him. “From childhood, I have played against my brother. It doesn’t matter if he is in front of me or anybody else. My job is to make my team win, and I will do whatever it takes to get that result,” Chahar said.

    He also said that his game is immaterial of who he is playing against. “As a player, when you step onto the field, it does not matter who is playing against you. I just want to perform my best every single game, and this does not change anything about it,” he added.

    Chahar has been in fighting form this season, snaring seven wickets with an economy rate of 6.31.

  • My long association with MI will not come in the way of doing my job for PBKS: Rahul Chahar

    By IANS

    PUNE: Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has asserted that his long association with Mumbai India (MI) will not come in the way of his job when his side takes on the Rohit Sharma-led five-time IPL champions at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here later on Wednesday.

    The 22-year-old Chahar also indicated that he is making “specific plans” for the MI batters, who have struggled for form in IPL 2022, unable to open their account on the points’ tables after four defeats.

    Chahar is currently in great form, having picked seven wickets from four games so far. He was an integral part of Mumbai Indians for four seasons, from 2018 till 2021.

    With Chahar in their ranks, PBKS would hope to pile more misery on MI, given that they have the advantage of having someone who knows the opposition inside-out.

    “I will definitely try to give my hundred per cent as always. Mainly, there are two or three batters who are challenging to bowl against that I have my eye on. Suryakumar Yadav, for instance, is in great form. Rohit (Sharma), too, is a top batter,” Chahar said, indicating that he would be targeting two of MI’s mainstays.

    “I am preparing well for them and looking forward to bowling to them. I am also making specific plans for all of these guys, let’s see how it goes,” Chahar added.

    Chahar revealed how having a familiar opponent is nothing new to him. “From childhood, I have played against my brother. It doesn’t matter if he is in front of me or anybody else. My job is to make my team win, and I will do whatever it takes to get that result,” Chahar said.

    He also said that his game is immaterial of who he is playing against. “As a player, when you step onto the field, it does not matter who is playing against you. I just want to perform my best every single game, and this does not change anything about it,” he added.

    Chahar has been in fighting form this season, snaring seven wickets with an economy rate of 6.31.

    PUNE: Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has asserted that his long association with Mumbai India (MI) will not come in the way of his job when his side takes on the Rohit Sharma-led five-time IPL champions at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here later on Wednesday.

    The 22-year-old Chahar also indicated that he is making “specific plans” for the MI batters, who have struggled for form in IPL 2022, unable to open their account on the points’ tables after four defeats.

    Chahar is currently in great form, having picked seven wickets from four games so far. He was an integral part of Mumbai Indians for four seasons, from 2018 till 2021.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    With Chahar in their ranks, PBKS would hope to pile more misery on MI, given that they have the advantage of having someone who knows the opposition inside-out.

    “I will definitely try to give my hundred per cent as always. Mainly, there are two or three batters who are challenging to bowl against that I have my eye on. Suryakumar Yadav, for instance, is in great form. Rohit (Sharma), too, is a top batter,” Chahar said, indicating that he would be targeting two of MI’s mainstays.

    “I am preparing well for them and looking forward to bowling to them. I am also making specific plans for all of these guys, let’s see how it goes,” Chahar added.

    Chahar revealed how having a familiar opponent is nothing new to him. “From childhood, I have played against my brother. It doesn’t matter if he is in front of me or anybody else. My job is to make my team win, and I will do whatever it takes to get that result,” Chahar said.

    He also said that his game is immaterial of who he is playing against. “As a player, when you step onto the field, it does not matter who is playing against you. I just want to perform my best every single game, and this does not change anything about it,” he added.

    Chahar has been in fighting form this season, snaring seven wickets with an economy rate of 6.31.

  • Chahal, Chahar…Chahal? Questions arise over Yuzi’s exclusion from World T20 squad  

    Express News Service

    BENGALURU:  It was a surprise call, whichever way you looked at it. Yuzvendra Chahal seemed a certainty to make the T20 World Cup squad. However, the selection committee, which picked up a power-packed squad, threw a surprise when it came to the spinners.

    Keeping in mind the spinner-friendly conditions in the UAE, where the tournament will be played, they named five spinners in the 15-member squad.

    Yet, there was no Chahal. The lone leg-spinner slot went to Rahul Chahar.

    The reason offered by Chetan Sharma, the chairman of the selectors, was simple.

    They needed a spinner, who could get the ball to spin quickly off the pitch, which Chahar is good at and one Chahal rarely does.

    The latter is not a conventional leg-spinner in many ways.

    For example, when he flights the ball, he prefers to bowl outside off and he will only resort to leg and middle-stump line only when he wants to send in a flat trajectory.

    Royal Challengers Bangalore’s YuzvendraChahal celebrates the dismissal of PunjabKings’ Mayank Agarwal at Sharjah onSunday | sportzpicsIt must still be a tough pill to swallow for Chahal. There was a dip in form, most notably during the home leg of the ongoing IPL.

    But he hasn’t let it continue for long like his other spin-twin Kuldeep Yadav, who is totally off the radar. Instead of sulking, Chahal has responded like how seasoned professionals do. Let the ball do all the talking.

    It has been a statement of the highest order.

    Chahal has picked up 10 wickets in his last five matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, including a match-winning 3/29 against Punjab Kings on Sunday. 

    After beginning with two wicketless overs, it was Chahal who stepped up once the ball got soft.

    This is what experience brings. Seize the moment, when a window opens. He removed Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Agarwal and Sarfaraz Khan — the latter with a peach — to break the back of Punjab. The six-run win meant Bangalore became the third team to make it to the play-offs.

    There has been a sort of a trend for Bangalore in the UAE. They are yet to take a wicket in the powerplay, but it is during the middle overs, where they have taken control thanks through Chahal.

    His control has been immaculate, doesn’t give many freebies. Not only has he contained runs, but the leg-spinner has also taken wickets whenever the team has needed them.

    Put it simple, whenever Kohli has needed wickets, Chahal has provided, something the Indian captain will be missing at the World Cup.

    With every good performance from Chahal, he is asking valid questions. So did selectors rush in dropping him? At the moment, the answer is loaded in favor of Chahal as his replacement Chahar has only two wickets to show in the UAE leg so far.

    He has not conceded more than 30 runs in any single innings in the UAE so far this edition, which just shows that the bowler is on top of his game.

    More importantly, the same cannot be said for Rahul Chahar, who got the nod ahead of Chahal in the World Cup squad.

    The Mumbai Indians spinner, comparatively, has scalped two wickets in his four matches in the league so far.  Whether the decision by the selectors is right or wrong, time will tell.

    Brief scores: RCB 164/7 (Maxwell 57, Padikkal 40, Henriques 3/12, Shami 3/39) bt PBKS 158/6 (Agarwal 57, Rahul 39, Chahal 3/29).

    Yuzvendra Chahal 

    vs Punjab 3/29vs Rajasthan  2/18vs Mumbai  3/11vs Chennai  1/26vs Kolkata  1/23

    Rahul Chahar 

    vs Punjab  1/27vs Bangalore  1/33vs Kolkata  0/34 (3 ovs)vs Chennai  0/22

  • Maxwell produces ‘Big Show’, Harshal takes hattrick as RCB crush Mumbai by 54 runs

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Glenn Maxwell justified his million dollar contract with an all-round performance before Harshal Patel took a hat-trick to ensure a thumping 54-run victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday.

    Maxwell (56 off 37 balls and 2/23) produced one of his better efforts in the IPL while Harshal (4/17 in 3.1 overs), the current Purple Cap holder removed Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Rahul Chahar off successive deliveries to defend a target of 165 without breaking much sweat.

    MI were all-out for 111 in 18.1 overs, losing 10 wickets for 54 runs after being 57 for no loss at one stage.

    Skipper Virat Kohli won the ‘Battle of Bosses’ against his national team deputy Rohit Sharma as RCB with 12 points are back in the play-off contention while MI with three successive defeats are now in a real spot of bother at seventh spot in eight-team table.

    Kohli would also happy with his second half-century and the form of his premier spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (3/11 in 4 overs).

    Rohit teed off with three boundaries in a single over from Kyle Jamieson.

    MI looked in complete control during the Powerplay as Quinton de Kock also got a few boundaries.

    However it was Chahal, who removed de Kock and then Ishan Kishan’s full-blooded shot was just about parried away by Rohit, who was hit on the left wrist trying to avoid a body blow.

    That must have affected his concentration as he tried to hit a second six off Maxwell having hit one in the earlier over but this time was pouched by Devdutt Padikkal at the long-on boundary much to the delight of rival skipper Kohli.

    Ishan Kishan (9 off 12 balls), who has barely managed 100 runs in nine IPL matches this season, would increase the worry of national selectors as he played an irresponsible hoick against the turn off Chahal and Krunal Pandya (5) then trying to break the logjam was bowled by Maxwell.

    However, what disappointed the MI skipper most was how Surykumar Yadav (8) chased a wide yorker from Mohammed Siraj to give simple catch to short third man as MI slumped to 97 for 5 with recovery looking implausible.

    Then Harshal got his hattrick to finish off the proceedings in style.

    Earlier, Maxwell finally came good with an attacking 56 after skipper Kohli’s second consecutive half-century, taking Royal Challengers Bangalore to a par-score of 165/6.

    Kohli, who completed 10,000 runs in T20 cricket, scored 51 off 42 balls with three fours and three sixes but it was Maxwell who justified his expensive price tag with a 37-ball blitzkrieg before Jasprit Bumrah brought MI back in the game.

    Maxwell’s innings had six fours and three sixes as he showed true destructive potential with switch hits, lap shots and flicks during the final overs when he launched into MI pacers Adam Milne (1/48 in 4 overs) and Bumrah (3/26 in 4 overs) with utter disdain.

    Such was the ferocity of Maxwell’s hits that even the normally calm MI skipper Rohit looked helpless before Bumrah removed both Maxwell and AB de villiers (11) off successive deliveries which at least helped them save 20 to 25 runs in the final two overs.

    The normally dependable Devdutt Padikkal (0) had an off-day as Bumrah bowled a beauty which pitched on length and moved away taking the outside edge into Quinton de Kock’s gloves.

    Kohli found a confident partner in Bharat (32 off 24 balls) as they quickly added 68 runs for the second wicket.

    Bharath for good measure swept Rahul Chahar against the turn for two sixes while Kohli also imperiously pulled Bumrah for a six over deep mid-wicket.

    However, Bharat couldn’t convert his start as Chahar bowled one straight and full and the batter didn’t get the required elevation being holed at long-off boundary.

    Once Bharat was out and Maxwell came in, RCB despite some great shots couldn’t force the pace as Kohli and Maxwell added 50 runs in seven overs.

  • Will stick to my plans in coming matches: Mumbai Indians spinner Rahul Chahar

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians spinner Rahul Chahar said he will stick to his plans for the upcoming games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium after bagging seven wickets in the last two matches.

    Mumbai Indians defeated SunRisers Hyderabad by 13 runs on Saturday. Chahar picked three wickets and dismantled the SRH’s middle-order.

    Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma played knocks of 40 and 32, but SRH managed to maintain a stranglehold as Mumbai Indians were restricted to 150/5. In response, SRH was bundled out for 137 despite a flying start given by Jonny Bairstow. Jasprit Bumrah bowled economically and just gave 14 runs in his fours overs including a wicket while Trent Boult returned with the figures of 3-28.

    Chahar went wicketless in the first game and then made a strong comeback against Kolkata Knight Riders as he scalped four wickets.

    “I will stick to the same plan for the coming matches in Chennai and will try to pick as many wickets as possible. Chennai wicket helps spinners. Wickets are not in our hands but I will try to turn the ball from the right spot and put batsmen under pressure,” Chahar said in a video posted on IPL’s official website.

    “There was some pressure in the second game as the first match was not so good for me. It was important for me to give the best performance in the second match and I don’t think there is any better wicket than this for spinners,” he added.

    Chahar asked Anukul Roy about his last season’s spectacular catch against Rajasthan Royals.

    Reflecting on that catch, Roy said: “It gives me confidence that I can take tough catches and now the normal catches look easy to me. But every catch is important in the match.”

    Mumbai Indians will next take on Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

  • Chahar, Boult steer Mumbai Indians to 13-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    By PTI
    CHENNAI: Sunrisers Hyderabad’s middle-order continued to misfire as spinner Rahul Chahar and pacer Trent Boult fashioned Mumbai Indians to a 13-run win in their IPL match here on Saturday.

    Defending 150, leg-spinner Chahar (3/19) stifled the middle-order before Boult (3/28) polished off the tail as SRH were bowled out for 137 in 19.4 overs.

    Opting to bat, MI had a good start but Vijay Shankar and Mujeeb Ur Rahman claimed two wickets each as SRH stemmed the flow of runs in the middle overs.

    However, Kieron Pollard managed to lift MI to 150 for 5 with the help of a 22-ball 35 which included two sixes of the last two balls of their innings.

    Chasing 151 for a win, Jonny Bairstow smashed a 22-ball 35 to give SRH a rollicking start, while David Warner too managed a 36 off 34 but once the duo were back in the hut, the middle-order again failed to come to the fore.

    Back at the top with his opening partner Warner, Bairstow amassed 18 runs from Trent Boult in the third over with the help of three fours and a six.

    Adam Milne was then treated with equal disdain, sending him for two maximums and a four as he bled 19 runs.

    Krunal Pandya was then handed the ball but the result was the same as he conceded 13 runs with Bairstow and Warner smashing a six and a four respectively as SRH amassed 55 in 5 overs.

    Bumrah then bowled a tight over but Warner sent Milne for a six as SRH reached 57 for no loss in powerplay.

    Lady luck smiled on MI finally when Bairstow hit wicket while looking for a slog sweep off Krunal.

    Chahar then removed Manish Pandey (2), while Hardik’s direct throw found Warner short as SRH slumped to 91 for 3.

    Chahar handed SRH a twin blow in his last over, dismissing Virat Singh (11) and Abhishek Sharma (2) — both playing their first games of the season.

    Vijay (28 off 25) cracked two sixes off Krunal to keep SRH in the hunt but he kept losing his partners as Abdul Samad (7) was sent packing by Hardik with another direct throw and then Boult produced a perfect yorker to rid get of Rashid (0).

    Vijay too perished in the next over as SRH fell short once again.

    Earlier, Rohit Sharma (32 off 25) and Quinton de Kock (40 off 39) scored 53 in the powerplay after opting to bat but Vijay (2/19) and Afghanistan spin duo of Mujeeb (2/29) and Rashid Khan (0/22) brought the Sunrisers back in the game.

    Rohit completed 4000 T20 runs as a skipper and also surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s record of hitting the most number of sixes by an Indian in the tournament.

    The 33-year-old now has 217 sixes in IPL, one ahead of Dhoni.

    He occupies the third place in the overall list after Punjab Kings’ Chris Gayle (351) and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s AB de Villiers (237).

    With Rohit and de Kock looking in full flow, it seemed MI will put up a big score.

    However, MI soon slipped to 71 for 2 with Vijay Shankar dismissing Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav (10) in his two overs.

    While the MI skipper holed out to Virat Singh in the sixth over, Suryakumar was caught and bowled in the 9th over.

    Rashid Khan and Mujeeb then tightened the screw on MI as the well-set de Kock next perished at deep mid-wicket.

    With MI at 107 for 3 in 16 overs, Pollard clubbed one over mid-wicket but Mujeeb soon dismissed Ishan Kishan (12 off 21) with wicketkeeper Bairstow taking a fabulous catch.

    New man Hardik Pandya and Pollard couldn’t produce their trademark hitting as the former holed out to Virat in the deep.

    Pollard, who was dropped by Vijay in 19th over, ended things on a high, smashing the last two balls of Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two sixes.

  • Rahul Chahar credits Rohit Sharma’s captaincy mantra for epic turnaround against KKR

    By PTI
    CHENNAI: Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar said he had the belief that “only a spinner can be a game changer” but it was skipper Rohit Sharma’s confidence that brought the best out of him as he spun Mumbai Indians to a 10-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders here.

    Chasing a target of 153, KKR produced a 72-run opening stand in 8.5 overs and needed another 72 from the last 10 overs but the 21-year-old Chahar pulled off quite a coup, taking four wickets en route to his game-changing 4 for 27 in the IPL match on Tuesday night.”…he (Rohit) told me “bowl with confidence…you’re bowling well, sometimes even I’m not able to understand (your variations in the nets).

    They (KKR batters) would also feel the same way. Just keep your focus, bowl in good length and try to get spin’,” Chahar said in the virtual press-conference.

    “I knew if there was someone who could be the gamechanger in such a match, it was the spinners. I always had the confidence.”

    Chahar, who has played three T20Is for India, said he didn’t feel much pressure as he is used to bowling to the likes of Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard at the nets.

    “I’m used to bowling to the top Indian players in the nets, and when you do that, the pressure is less in a match scenario like this. So there was nothing much going in my mind,” he said.

    “This is my fourth year with MI, I’ve been bowling to the likes of Pollard, Hardik, considered among the world’s best hitters. So I don’t feel much pressure.”

    After Chahar dismissed KKR top-scorer Nitish Rana for his fourth wicket, Krunal Pandya removed Shakib-Al-Hasan.

    “We both played well. He (Krunal) also had a good spell, restricting the run flow. We got some help from the wicket,” he said.

    With the small target, KKR were still in the chase despite the collapse but Chahar said they never gave up.

    “It was a close match. We always had the belief that (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Trent) Boult would turn the match in the death overs,” he signed off.

    Mumbai Indians will next play Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai.