View source for Chahar apos;s New Ball Skills On Par With Kumar Says Kohli

<br>Aug 7 (Reuters) - Deepak Chahar's new ball skills are comparable to that of an experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India captain Virat Kohli said after the rookie seamer's match-winning opening spell against West Indies on Tuesday.<br> <br>Playing only his second Twenty20 international, Chahar posted figures of 3-1-4-3 to leave West Indies reeling in the third and final match of the series in Guyana which India won by seven wickets to complete a 3-0 sweep.<br> <br>Kumar, 29, is renowned for his ability to swing the new ball in both directions and has played 21 tests, 111 one-dayers and 40 T20 matches for India.<br> <br>Chahar has played a lone ODI and made the Indian squad on the back of a strong 2019 season in the Indian Premier League T20 tournament during which he finished third on the list of wicket-takers with 22 wickets.<br> <br>"He was really lethal with the new ball," Kohli said at the post-match presentation. "The way he swings it and the areas he bowls in, he puts the batsman in a lot of trouble.<br> <br>"With the new ball, his skills are right up there (with Kumar's), swinging it both ways and getting a lot with the new ball in any conditions, and that has been his USP in the IPL as well."<br> <br>Chahar's strikes reduced the hosts to 14-3 inside the first four overs and West Indies could never recover sufficiently and managed 146-6 in their 20 overs.<br> <br>India then rode on an unbeaten 42-ball 65 from wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and captain Kohli's 59 to reach their target with five balls to spare.<br> <br>Pant, 21, has been long earmarked as the successor to long-serving wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is a veteran of 350 one-dayers and is widely considered as the best 'finisher' in contemporary cricket.<br> <br>The 38-year-old Dhoni is sitting out India's tour to discharge his responsibilities as an honorary colonel in the Territorial Army, a reservist force that draws on civilians who can do short stints to assist the military.<br> <br>Pant has used his chances well in the test format and hit a century in an Oval test last year while also smashing an unbeaten 159 against Australia in Sydney in January but scored nought and four in the first two T20s.<br> <br>"He's got a lot of skill and talent," Kohli said. "It's about winning and finishing games like these and  [http://serba.info/index.php/World_Cup_Glory_Beckons_Arise_apos;Sir_apos;_Jadeja http://serba.info/index.php/World_Cup_Glory_Beckons_Arise_apos;Sir_apos;_Jadeja] gaining confidence, which he wants to do as well.<br> <br>"It's about giving him a bit more space to ease himself into international cricket and not putting too much pressure because of the way he's played in the IPL.<br> <br>"At the international level, you need to tackle pressure differently and play yourself into the whole set-up.<br><br>He has come a long way since he started. If he plays like this more regularly, we will see his potential shine for India." (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)<br>