The Indian cricket team might have lost the T20I series to Sri Lanka and hardly anyone from the visitors could make an impact, but Rahul Chahar managed to impress the former Indian cricketer and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra with his bowling performance in the recent three-match T20I series.
The young leg-spinner scalped four wickets in the 2 T20Is. He was particularly impressive in the final T20I where Rahul picked up all three wickets and constantly troubled the Sri Lanka batsmen, but the hosts managed to win the game by 7 wickets and series 2-1 as well.
Hailing Rahul's performance in the T20I series in Sri Lanka, Chopra believes that the young spinner has grabbed every opportunity and made most of it while saying he reminded him of Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, as the commentator feels both have similar bowling actions.
Chopra said on his Youtube Channel: “Rahul Chahar doesn’t play regularly in the Team India squad since Yuzvendra Chahal is the No. 1 leg-spinner. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar are also other spin options Team India have. Varun Chakravarthy is also trying to make a name as a mystery spinner. But Chahar has grabbed every opportunity that has come his way to play for Team India.”
He further explained, “Chahar bowls with a lot of confidence and is incisive and accurate. He bowls quickly through the air and the ball often zips past the batsman on pitching. From his action, it seems like he is bowling a googly when he is actually delivering a leg-spinner. He has got this mystery about him and variations, which remind me a little about Rashid Khan. If he does well in the IPL, Team India will be tempted to play him in the T20 World Cup along with Chahal.”
The commentator also lauded Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav for their performance in Sri Lanka and said it is a lesson for Kolkata Knight Riders to play the chinaman bowler in the IPL.
He signed off by saying, “Don’t forget Kul-Cha. There was a reason they were playing together for Team India at one point of time. Whenever they get chances, they will do well. Both Kuldeep and Chahal made a major impact in the first two ODIs and were among the wickets as well. Kuldeep got an opportunity in the T20Is too and did not let the chance slip. There is a lesson for KKR in this. They need to play him and give him that confidence.”
