Deepak Chahar got a firsthand look at Cheteshwar Pujara’s “solid” defence when he challenged his fellow Chennai Super Kings teammate to a game of table tennis. Chahar faced his CSK colleague with a cricket bat, while Pujara used a table tennis racket. “Bhaiya yaha bhe defence kuch jayda he strong hai (Brother, you’re too strong in defence even here),” Chahar captioned a video of him playing table tennis with Pujara that he posted on social media. “I couldn’t get a single point with the bat either,” Chahar said.
Chahar, who has been with CSK since 2018, is expected to be one of their main fast bowlers this season, while Pujara, who was selected in the February auction, will be making his first appearance for the team.
Since his debut in the IPL in 2016, Chahar, a right-arm fast bowler, has 45 wickets in 48 matches.
On the other hand, Pujara will be playing in his first IPL match since 2014. In the tournament, he has 390 runs from 30 matches, including one half-century.
The IPL kicks off on April 9 in Chennai, with the defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
CSK will kick off their season on April 10 in Mumbai against the Delhi Capitals, who finished second last season.
CSK had a bad season in 2020, when the league was relocated to the UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic, finishing sixth and missing the playoffs for the first time in their history.
CSK has won the IPL three times. In 2010, 2011, and 2018, they were crowned champions.