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Unheralded debutant Deepak Chahar, an 18-year-old paceman from Rajasthan, picked up eight wickets for 10 runs to bowl out Hyderabad for 21, the lowest-ever score in Ranji Trophy, in a Group A Plate match at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday.
His son's dream-debut figures, that read 7.3 overs, two maidens, 10 runs and eight wickets, may have had others sit up and take notice but Lokesh Singh Chahar believes he saw promising signs early.
Lokesh, a retired assistant air traffic control manager with the Indian Air Force, is also an astrologer. When Deepak was about 10, Lokesh discovered that his son's kundali was very similar to that of the legendary hockey star Dhyan Chand.
Strongly believing that his son would turn out to be a supreme athlete, the father asked Deepak to take up cricket. "I coached Deepak tirelessly and he worked hard day in and day out. He has a good bouncer, can touch 130kmph and can also swing the ball both ways. I wouldn't say he is a finished product but he is developing into a fine fast bowler," Lokesh told The Indian Express before leaving for Jaipur to meet his son.
A couple of years later, Deepak appeared for junior selection trials in Hanumangarh district in north Rajasthan. Narendu Tyagi, a level-I coach, spotted the youngster's talent and took him under his wings. From there on, Deepak moved up the ranks to make a phenomenal impact at the senior level.
Rajasthan skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar, unbeaten on 100 at stumps, is impressed with Deepak's progress. "His stock ball is the outswinger but he can also bring the ball in and bowls at a healthy pace. The wicket wasn't wet or damp but was lively and helped seam bowlers because it had a bit of grass but Deepak bowled really, really well. You don't take eight wickets and bowl out a team for 21 without bowling well."
Hyderabad were bowled out in just 78 minutes, and none of their batsmen reached double figures. Pankaj Singh took the other two wickets that fell.
Over the past two seasons, Deepak has taken a handful of wickets in Under-19 tournaments and also played in the Moin-ud-Dowla and Buchi Babu tournaments. Former Delhi opener Aakash Chopra, now playing for Rajasthan, said: "When I first saw Deepak three months ago he was impressive. Today, he surpassed all our expectations. We can expect him to keep improving. He bowled exceptionally well for someone who was making his debut."
Tyagi, also the Hanumangarh District Cricket Association secretary, believes his ward deserves every bit of praise he is receiving today. "I know him very well. He won't let his initial success go to his head and will now only work harder."
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