Kohli salutes young Chahar

Providence – Deepak Chahar’s new ball skills are comparable to that of an experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Indian captain Virat Kohli said after the rookie seamer’s match-winning opening spell against West Indies on Tuesday.

Playing only his second Twenty20 international, Chahar (above) posted figures of 3-1-4-3 to leave West Indies reeling in the third and final match of the series in Guyana which India won by seven wickets to complete a 3-0 sweep.

Kumar, 29, is renowned for his ability to swing the new ball in both directions and has played 21 Tests, 111 ODIs and 40 T20 matches for India.

Chahar has played a lone ODI and broke into the Indian squad on the back of a strong 2019 season in the Indian Premier League during which he finished third on the list of wicket-takers with 22 wickets.

“He was really lethal with the new ball,” Kohli said at the postmatch presentation. “The way he swings it and the areas he bowls in, he puts the batsman in a lot of trouble.

“With the new ball, his skills are right up there (with Kumar’s), swinging it both ways and getting a lot with the new ball in any conditions, and that has been his USP in the IPL as well.”

Chahar’s strikes reduced the hosts to 14/3 inside the first four overs and West Indies could never recover sufficiently and managed 146/6 in their 20 overs.

India then rode on an unbeaten 42-ball 65 from wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and Kohli’s 59 to reach their target with five balls to spare.