India’s T20 specialist pacer Deepak Chahar will take another four to five weeks to fully recover from a hamstring injury. He was ruled out of the entire Indian Premier League (IPL) season due to this injury. Chahar and another centrally contracted cricketer Washington Sundar are recovering from a hand injury.
Both these players are undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) along with T Natarajan. Spin all-rounder Washington is set to travel to England to represent England’s county side Lancashire. A BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity, “Washington is close to full fitness and will have to spend time in the field to find the momentum he will find only in red-ball cricket.” He is going to play for Lancashire. This will keep him in better shape. ,
Chahar, who was injured during the home series against West Indies in Kolkata, looked in good shape during his morning session at the NCA. After his rehab session, he told PTI-language, “I am doing four to five overs bowling exercises at a time right now as per my rehab schedule. My recovery (recovering from injury) is going very well and I think it will take another four to five weeks for me to regain the fitness I need for the match.
The Rajasthan pacer admitted that it will not be possible for him to be fit till the time India play the T20I series against England in the second week of July. “As far as recovery is concerned, it is a step by step process. I don’t think I will be fit for England T20. Once I am match fit, I will have to play some club level matches to check my fitness.
However, Chahar looked comfortable during the batting practice here. He is hopeful that he will regain fitness before the West Indies tour. The swing bowler said, “I can’t say so clearly but I will definitely try to be fit by then.” India will play three ODIs and five T20 matches in the West Indies from July 22 to August 7. Huh.