former India pacer L Balaji is of the opinion that Chahar should be the ‘first-choice’ pacer in the UAE because of the skillset he possesses.
“Chahar has improved a lot. Unfortunately, injury forced him out for six months. He is a hardworking cricketer. I would say he has to wait for his opportunities as the other guys have earned their spots. He is a tough cricketer and always works on what is within his control, not worrying about selections. The fast bowling department is phenomenally good and there is a lot of competition.
“Right from the first ball, he has control. You can see the late swing through the air with the new ball. He needs to play matches continuously. He is looking very fit now. With the skill sets that he has, he needs to play regularly. Who can forget his hat-trick and six wickets against Bangladesh?,” Balaji said in a chat with News 18.
The former Chennai Super Kings speedster also feels that Chahar all but guarantees wickets in the powerplay which is incredibly valuable to the Indian team. Especially in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Balaji is keen to have Chahar on board.
“In the UAE, where the new ball skills are needed to make early inroads into the opposition batting, what you want is wickets upfront with the new ball. If Chahar gives you those early wickets, you have to look at him as a first-choice. But, there are a lot of bowlers and there is a lot of competition. You want wicket-taking bowlers with the new ball. If Bumrah and Shami are not available, Chahar is the one who provides that,” he added.
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