Rahul Chahar replaced Yuzvendra Chahal in India’s playing XI for the fourth T20I against England at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. With the Three Lions leading the five-match series 2-1, it’s a do-or-die encounter for the Men in Blue, and Chahar has a great chance to make a mark. The 21-year-old has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit and Indian Premier League (IPL) in the past few years, but tackling the mighty England batting line-up would be a daunting task. Notably, the leg-spinner, the younger brother of Deepak Chahar, had made his T20I debut against West Indies in August 2019 but didn’t get a game after that. Suryakumar Yadav Starts International Career with First-Ball Six off Jofra Archer (Watch Video).

He gave away 27 runs in three overs in that game while picking a crucial wicket of Carlos Brathwaite. However, his performance in IPL 2020 has been far more impressive. The lead spinner for Mumbai Indians, Chahar had the onus of restricting the batsmen in the middle overs, and he didn’t disappoint. Skipper Rohit Sharma threw the ball at him for breakthroughs, and the leggie delivered more often than not. He scalped 15 wickets in as many games at an economy rate of just over 8. Riding on his brilliance, MI lifted their fifth title. Rohit Sharma Becomes Second Indian to Complete 9000 T20 Runs, Achieves Feat During IND vs ENG Match.

Rahul Chahar In IPL 2020:

Matches Wickets Economy Rate Average Best Bowling
15 15 8.16 28.86 2/18

Chahal indeed has big boots to fill as Yuzvendra Chahal has been India’s primary spinner in the past few years. The 30-year-old, however, struggled in this series, and it would be interesting to see how Chahar will tackle English batsmen. Notably, India will bowl second in this game, and if dew comes into play, the leg-spinner’s challenge would be even more daunting.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2021 07:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).