Deepak Chahar, the Indian seam bowling all-rounder, has declared himself fully fit and ready to make a comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The 30-year-old had a tough year in 2022 as he suffered two major injuries that kept him out of action for six months.
He sustained a stress fracture in his back and a quad grade 3 tear in his leg that forced him to miss most of the international matches for India. He last played for India in December 2022 against Bangladesh, where he got injured after bowling only three overs.
He also missed the T20 World Cup due to his injuries and had to undergo rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. He is now looking forward to playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL, which will start on March 31.
“I have been working hard on my fitness for the past two-three months. I am fully fit and preparing well for the IPL,” Chahar told ESPNcricinfo.
“It was very tough to recover from these injuries. They are both very big injuries. You are out for months. It takes time to get back on track, especially for fast bowlers. If I was a batter, I would have played way back, but as a fast bowler, when you have a stress fracture, it is very difficult,” he said.
Chahar made his comeback to competitive cricket with a Ranji Trophy match against Services last month, where he took four wickets. He has played only one First-Class game this season due to his injuries.
Chahar has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and has not been able to cement his place in the Indian team. However, he is hopeful of making it to the ODI World Cup squad later this year.
“I always believe that if I am bowling well and batting well, there is no stopping me. That is how I started my career. I don’t care who is playing or who is not playing. If I perform well, I will be selected,” he said.
