India leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has been signed into Surrey’s team for their season-deciding match against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl this week. The club is still in the hunt for their fourth straight County Championship title and Chahar’s addition might make all the difference in their bid to win the championship.
Chahar’s Surrey Call-Up for Surrey’s Last Championship Match
26-year-old Rahul Chahar was initially listed to play for Surrey in early September under the ECB’s rules. Yet, he was not summoned during the home matches against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. In spite of Surrey’s gallant struggles, they were defeated by a mere 20 runs against Nottinghamshire in a nail-biting game, which has now put them on the back foot by 14 points in the championship race.
Chahar’s inclusion will be important for Surrey when they need to close the gap and win the County Championship with just a solitary match remaining. His Surrey debut comes at a perfect time as he is set to provide depth to Surrey’s bowling line-up.
Chahar’s Domestic and International Experience
Rahul Chahar has established a great career in domestic cricket, especially in the Ranji Trophy, where he has been Rajasthan’s go-to performer. In his first-class career, Chahar has picked 87 wickets in 24 matches with an average of 26.12. His best match figures are 9 for 148, demonstrating his potential to turn matches with his leg-spin.
Chahar has also appeared a couple of times for India in international cricket, playing one ODI and six T20Is from 2019 to 2021. He has enjoyed a successful career with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, helping the franchise win titles in 2019 and 2020. That familiarity, both at home and abroad, will help Surrey in their fight for titles.
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Surrey’s Spin Woes and Chahar’s Timely Arrival
Rahul Chahar’s inclusion is in reaction to the club’s spin crisis. Surrey has been missing both their first-choice spinners, Will Jacks and Cam Steel, both of whom are injured. This has created a void in Surrey’s spin unit, which Chahar is likely to occupy.
Surrey’s high-performance coach, Alec Stewart, was keen to have Chahar on board, saying: “Having Rahul in the team provides a further spin option at the Utilita Bowl.” Surrey had initially hoped to have Sai Kishore return to the team for the latter part of the season. However, surgery to correct an injury rendered Kishore unavailable, making Chahar’s promotion more timely.
Surrey’s Title Hopes Rest on Chahar’s Impact
Going into the last round of games, Surrey is 14 points behind Nottinghamshire, and for them to catch up, they must win their game against Hampshire. Concurrently, they also hope to see Nottinghamshire score less than 11 points in their encounter against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge. Chahar’s experience and skills may become the key difference in Surrey’s quest to hold on to their County Championship title.
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Rahul Chahar: A Surrey Title Challenger
As the County Championship title race reaches its conclusion, it may be vital for Rahul Chahar to appear for Surrey later in the season. Even this one match versus Hampshire, his spinners’ wicket-taking capabilities and experience of the international game should remind Surrey of their potential for the season ahead and during the title race.
“I’m excited to join Surrey for this week’s match,” Chahar said. “I’m coming here to have an impact and help the team in their final match of the season.”
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