Rahul Dravid advised to Deepak Chahar to made Miracle in yesterday’s 2^nd ODI India vs Sri Lanka

Deepak Chahar played an unbeaten knock of 69 runs off 82 balls to guide India to victory in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. Chahar also grabbed two wickets and conceded 53 runs in 8 overs. India has now taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match ODI series with this win.

Chasing 276, India were down and out at 193 for seven before Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (19 not out) forged an unbeaten 84-run partnership for the eight-wicket to seal a memorable win for the Men in Blue, who extended their ODI record of not losing on Sri Lanka soil since 2012.

After leading India to an improbable three-wicket win by hitting a boundary on the first delivery of the final over, Chahar revealed what head coach Rahul Dravid had told him before walking out to bat.

Deepak Chahar said after the match about Rahul Dravid

“No better way to win the match for the country. Rahul sir told me to play with all the balls. I’ve played a few innings with India A (when Dravid was the coach) and I think he has belief in me.

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“He told me he thinks I’m good enough to be a No. 7 (but he batted at 8). He has belief in me. Hopefully, in the coming matches I don’t have to bat. When we came under 50 that’s when I believed we can win. Before that, it was ball by ball. I took some risks after,” said Chahar at the post-match presentation.

Before the second ODI against Sri Lanka, Chahar’s highest score in international cricket was 12.

“It was hot out there, we did well there. Got two wickets. We managed to stop them at 270 (275 actually). It was a decent score on this wicket.

“Only one thing that was going on in my mind: this is the kind of innings I’ve been dreaming of. No better way to win the match for the country,” he said when asked about his mindset while batting in the middle.

At the end of the 44th over of the Indian innings, Dravid was seen rushing down the staircase of the dressing room and making his way into the Indian dugout to talk to Rahul Chahar and pass on a message for Deepak Chahar, who bats in the middle.

India needed 35 runs off 36 balls with three wickets in hand at that time. Chahar and Bhuvneshwar had just started to turn the match towards India. All it needed was a calm head and Dravid knew the importance of staying focus and not lose a wicket. The head coach sensed that Chahar was getting anxious and going for risky shots which were not required and perhaps asked Rahul to pass on the message to his brother

Rahul Chahar finally got time when Deepak suffered cramps in the 47th over. It perhaps was a blessing in disguise for India as the injury wasn’t serious but it allowed enough time for the substitutes to pass on Dravid’s message.

The result was for there for everyone to see. Deepak Chahar played four consecutive dot balls in the next over off Wanindu Hasaranga. He did not attempt a single attacking shot and played out Sri Lanka’s biggest threat who had already picked up three wickets.

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Chahar and Bhuvneshwar then hit three boundaries in the next 7 balls to take India home with three wickets in hand.

The third and final ODI will be played at the same venue on Friday (July 23).