Ever since his comeback in worldwide cricket, Varun Chakravarthy (31) has extra T20I wickets than anybody.
Varun Chakravarthy has been in sensational form, and his recent heroics in the T20I series against England have made him a strong contender for India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad. The mystery spinner picked up 14 wickets in just five matches, including a breathtaking five-wicket haul in Rajkot. His performances have not gone unnoticed, and veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Varun still has a chance to make it to the final squad.
Varun Chakravarthy has Ashwin’s backing
Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, pointed out that India has only announced a provisional squad for the tournament, leaving room for potential changes. “We are all talking about whether he should have been there (Champions Trophy squad), I am thinking there is a chance he might be there. I have a feeling he might make it. There is a chance because all teams have named only a provisional squad. So, he might get picked,” Ashwin said.
India already has a strong spin contingent in the Champions Trophy squad, including Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. If Varun were to be included, he would be the fifth specialist spinner in the team, which might be a difficult decision for the selectors.
Chakravarthy in IND vs ENG ODIs too?
Ashwin suggested that if Varun gets a call-up for the upcoming ODI series against England, it would be a strong indicator that the team management is considering him for the Champions Trophy. “HeI have a feeling that Varun might get a chance to play in the ODI series between India and England. I don’t think it’s an easy call to take him directly to the Champions Trophy. He has not played ODIs. I have a feeling they will give him a chance in the India vs England ODI series,” Ashwin added.
With Jasprit Bumrah’s injury status still uncertain, India might be forced to make late changes to their squad. If that happens, the in-form Chakravarthy could be the beneficiary. Having already dominated the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 18 wickets in six matches, he has proven his mettle in the 50-over format. Whether India takes a gamble on his mystery spin remains to be seen.
Indian bowlers with most T20I wicket since Chakravarthy’s return
| Player | Inns | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | 5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varun Chakravarthy | 12 | 31 | 5/17 | 11.25 | 7.58 | 8.9 | 2 |
| Arshdeep Singh | 9 | 16 | 3/14 | 15.93 | 7.84 | 12.1 | 0 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 10 | 13 | 3/28 | 20.92 | 7.55 | 16.6 | 0 |
| Axar Patel | 8 | 9 | 2/6 | 16.00 | 6.54 | 14.6 | 0 |
| Hardik Pandya | 11 | 8 | 2/33 | 35.00 | 8.48 | 24.7 | 0 |
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