Varun Chakravarthy is Team India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is for the 2024-25 season. Would his inclusion add more variety to the Champions Trophy 2025 squad?
Since his T20I comeback in October 2024, three years after being dropped, Varun Chakravarthy has made up for lost time. He has taken 22 wickets in nine T20Is since October last year, compared to just two wickets in his first six T20Is in 2021. Thanks to his impressive performances in both international and domestic cricket, there is now a debate about whether the selectors made an error by not including Chakravarthy in the squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Chakravarthy is consistent in ODIs
Although Chakravarthy has played only T20Is at the international level, he has been in excellent form in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy over the last two seasons. Notably, Chakravarthy was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the 2024 Vijay Hazare Trophy, claiming 18 wickets, while he topped the charts in the 2023 season with 19 wickets.
Meanwhile, in T20 cricket, Chakravarthy has already established himself as a force to reckon with, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 with 21 wickets. Thus, Chakravarthy has proven to be a consistent performer not just in T20 cricket but also in the 50-over format.
Does Chakravarthy merit a place in India's CT 2025 squad?
Let’s take a closer look at India’s spin squad for the Champions Trophy. The team features two left-arm orthodox spin all-rounders in Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, an off-spin all-rounder in Washington Sundar, and a left-arm wrist-spinner (Chinaman) in Kuldeep Yadav. However, Kuldeep’s selection hinges on his fitness.
Having two similar spin all-rounders in Axar and Jadeja could be seen as a redundancy—or, in other words, a luxury. That said, Axar’s improvement as a batter might give him an edge. However, both these all-rounders are more adept at containing runs in the middle overs rather than taking regular wickets to destabilize the opposition.
Sundar, with just 22 ODIs under his belt and 23 wickets to his name, is still relatively inexperienced in the 50-over format, and his effectiveness remains to be fully assessed.
Kuldeep Yadav stands out as the only spinner in the squad who consistently poses a genuine wicket-taking threat in the middle overs. His variations, control, and ability to hit the right line and length are vital in inducing errors from batters during this critical phase of the game.
Chakravarthy could be Kuldeep’s ideal replacement
Chakravarthy is of a similar mould, relying on his variations to baffle batters. Despite being a leg-break bowler, he effectively uses the wrong and straighter deliveries to keep batters in two minds and induce errors. Based on his performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he has shown he can be a valuable asset in the 50-over format as well.
If Kuldeep does not recover in time, Varun could receive his maiden ODI call-up and pose a genuine challenge to opposition batters in the Champions Trophy.
Did the selectors err?
Selectors could have considered picking Chakravarthy in place of either Axar or Jadeja to add more variety to the spin department. However, they opted for both Axar and Jadeja to bolster the batting line-up. It wouldn’t be surprising if both are included in the playing XI.
Choosing Chakravarthy over either Axar or Jadeja could have also helped India’s batters improve against top-class spinners from other nations. Even if Chakravarthy didn’t get game time in the Champions Trophy, his presence in the nets could have been invaluable in preparing India’s batters to face the likes of Adam Zampa and Adil Rashid.
Nonetheless, Chakravarthy still has a chance to make India’s Champions Trophy squad as a replacement for an unfit Kuldeep Yadav. He must stay ready and hopeful for an opportunity. Read More: IND vs ENG, 1st T20I, 2024-25: Abhishek's sparkling 79(34) helps India crack England's modest 132
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