Varun Chakravarthy replaced Harshit Rana in India’s last group match of the Champions Trophy and delivered a performance that presents a selection dilemma for the team management ahead of the semi-final against Australia. In just his second ODI, Varun took 5 wickets for 42 runs, contributing significantly to India’s 44-run victory over New Zealand in Dubai.
Former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble lauded Varun’s ‘exceptional’ talent, noting that his performance is encouraging for India, especially as they are set to play their semi-final, and potentially the final, at the same venue.
‘I believe Varun has been outstanding over the past year to year and a half, consistently securing wins for his teams, be it Tamil Nadu, KKR, or India in T20Is,’ Kumble stated on ESPNcricinfo Match Day. ‘Now, getting this chance in ODIs, especially since India had already qualified, is significant.’
‘Considering the pitch and conditions, particularly for the semi-final and hopefully the final for India, this is a positive sign.’
‘If Dubai continues to offer pitches like this, India’s four-spinner strategy could pose a serious challenge to any team. Australia, in particular, might find it very difficult to handle these four spinners.’
Against New Zealand, who were chasing 250, Varun’s wickets included key dismissals of Will Young early on, followed by Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell in quick succession during the middle overs. He also removed Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry to complete his five-wicket haul. India secured the win in the subsequent over.
Varun’s previous ODI appearance was in a three-match series against England before the Champions Trophy, where he took 1 wicket for 52 runs.
After Sunday’s game, Varun mentioned feeling nervous initially but said that conversations with senior players helped him to settle down. ‘I learned last night that I would be playing,’ he said. ‘I was eager to play for the country and looking forward to it, but also felt a bit nervous as I haven’t played many ODIs for India.’
‘However, as the game progressed, I felt more comfortable. Virat and Rohit encouraged me.’
