Pacer Deepak Chahar talked about his availability on the upcoming India tour of South Africa where he has been named in the India squad for the white-ball leg of the tour for 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs. The series begins with T20Is on December 10.
Chahar recently made his long-awaited comeback against Australia in a five-match T20I series. The Rajasthan star has been called up to India's side for the next two games of the series. Due to a series of injuries, he had not played for India since December 2022.
However, he managed to play only one match, the 4th T20I, as he had to return to his family for a medical emergency and missed the fifth and final match of the series.
He rushed to Aligarh where his father was admitted to a hospital after he suffered a stroke. This puts a question mark on him traveling to South Africa as the rest of the T20I squad had flown for the series which starts on December 10 with the first T20I to be played in Durban.
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Deepak Chahar told Sports Tak that his father's condition is steady and improving at the present. The India star also indicated that he will not be joining the team in South Africa till his father's health improves further. He has already informed the team's management of the situation.
“We got him to the hospital on time. Else, it could have been dangerous. His condition is better at the moment. People were asking, why I didn’t play the final T20I against Australia. For me, my father is very important. He made me the player I am. I could not leave him in this condition and couldn’t go anywhere.
That’s why I am staying with my father and once he is out of danger, I will start my journey to South Africa. I have talked to Rahul (Dravid) sir and the selectors,” said Deepak Chahar to Sports Tak.
Chahar had made his comeback to the Indian team on the back of a good outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He picked up ten wickets in five games at an economy of 7.38 in addition to scoring 67 runs off 39 balls at a strike rate of 171.79.
