India vs Sri Lanka: MS Dhoni has a big effect on me, learnt taking the match deep from him – Deepak Chahar

After scoring 69 not out runs and handing India an exhilarating 3-wicket within the closing over of the 2nd India, Deepak Chahar has recalled lesson from his Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni.

With India 5 down for 116, Deepak Chahar partnered for 33 runs with Krunal Pandya after which unbeaten 84 runs with vice-captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar to grab defeat from the jaws of defeat from the hosts who have been trying to seize their maiden probability to stage the collection 1-1.The 28-year-old said that he acquired the thought of taking the match deep from India legend Dhoni.“(Dhoni) he has had a very big impact on me. Not just CSK, while growing up, we have all seen how he (takes the match close). Every time we speak, he tells me that it is in your hands to take the game till the end and if you can do that, then you get some overs and that makes the match thrilling.“So, that was the whole idea to take the match till the last over,” Chahar stated at a digital press convention on the eve of the third ODI.Further, Chahar stated that he was presently not focussing on the T20 World Cup however pressured that he was blissful that he may show himself with the bat when he acquired a possibility.“The (T20) World Cup is still far ahead. My target is always that whenever I get an opportunity with the bat or ball, is to prove myself. Selection is not in my hands nor in any player’s hands, to perform is in our hands.“I was fortunate enough that I got an opportunity that I could prove in batting. Because for a long time, I was in search of an opportunity, from last two years my batting hasn’t come, or when I batted, I played one or two balls.“This was a good opportunity for me to prove myself in batting, and I am happy that I could convert it?” said the right-arm pacer.He also reckoned that Rahul Dravid, team’s head coach on the tour, has confidence in him due to the knocks that he has played for India A.“With Rahul Sir, this is my first tour as India player, but I have done many India A tours with him. And there three or four times, batting came in similar situation, where the batters got out, and I played good knocks there, so Rahul Sir has that confidence in me.“And that helps and when the coach backs you and has confidence, so when you go to bat, at the back of the mind it is there, that you have support and that makes a huge difference?” Chahar added.The Agra-born also revealed that the perspective of people on his all-round abilities doesn’t bother him.“I have always been working on my batting. My father is my coach and when we speak, the maximum time we speak is about batting in our conversation. And I don’t care whether people consider me an all-rounder or not,” he stated.