"Would love to play Tests for India" - Deepak Chahar keen to shed the white-ball specialist tag

Indian pacer Deepak Chahar has joined the Men in Blue squad for the last two fixtures of the ongoing five-match home T20I series against Australia.

While Chahar has carved a niche for himself in white-ball cricket, he is eager to prove his mettle in Test cricket as well. He suggested that he can increase his workload to be ready for the purest format if he is given enough time to prepare.

Speaking on Jio Cinema, he said:

"There is preparation involved in everything we do. If you look at it, my preparation was good for the Ranji Trophy and also for the IPL (last season). I will not be able to play a Test match if I am suddenly informed that I'll play a Test. For that matter, no one else probably can.

"If I am told one month in advance, then I'll prepare accordingly. I will increase my workload accordingly. I have the swing, I have the ideas, it's just that I'll need a month to prepare. I would love to play Tests for India," Deepak Chahar told Jio Cinema after his inclusion in the Test side."

Deepak Chahar's injury woes have not allowed him to cement his place in the national team. He will want to make the most of the opportunity in the ongoing home series to make a strong case for himself for the forthcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.

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"Prefer pitches that are either slow or those that have some grass" - Deepak Chahar

Chahar's ability to swing the ball both ways has made him a potent option with the new ball. The right-arm seamer spoke about how he has also added a few variations to his arsenal.

The 31-year-old stated that he enjoys bowling on pitches that are either slow or have some grass covering on them, adding:

"I like all pitches except those that only favor batsmen. I prefer pitches that are either slow or those that have some grass. On those with grass, it's guaranteed that you will be hit in the later stages. The slower pitches don't have grip, so I prefer them because swing, I can extract in the air.

"I rely a lot on my slower balls and have also worked on new variations. I bowl the knuckle ball. I now have developed a nice leg-cutter. The off-cutter works well for me. Also, I have worked on the slower bouncer."

Deepak Chahar was last seen in action in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. The talented bowlers bagged six wickets in two appearances.