Varun Chakravarthy, IND vs ENG ODI Series:
The Indian team recently emerged victorious against England in a gripping 5-match T20 series with a 4-1 lead. With a 3-match ODI series ahead, this is a pivotal time as it sets the stage for the Champions Trophy. Thus, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a strategic decision.
The board has brought in star spinner Varun Chakravarthy into the Indian squad while opting out of including pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah due to fitness concerns. Varun's inclusion was anticipated after being part of the practice squad, and now he's officially in the squad against England for the ODI series.
Leading Wicket-taker in the T20 Series
The Indian team is playing a series against England on home ground. The teams previously competed in a 5-match T20 series where, under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, India's spectacular performance secured the series 4-1. Now, it's time for the 3-match ODI series between India and England.
Varun Chakravarthy shone in the T20 series as the leading wicket-taker, claiming 14 wickets in five matches with an impressive average of 9.85. Expectedly, he was named the Player of the Series.
India-England ODI Series Schedule
First ODI - February 6 - NagpurSecond ODI - February 9 - CuttackThird ODI - February 12 - Ahmedabad
Opportunity in the Champions Trophy Squad
The final date for team changes for the Champions Trophy is February 12. Varun still has a chance to become part of the team. The current Indian team has three finger spinners: left-arm spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, and right-arm off-spinner Washington Sundar. After undergoing surgery for a sports hernia in October 2024, Kuldeep Yadav returned as the team's only wrist spinner.
There's a substantial potential that Varun Chakravarthy might replace one of the four specialist spinners in the Champions Trophy squad. He could possibly come in for either Kuldeep Yadav or Washington Sundar, depending on how he performs in the ODI series.
Indian 16-member Squad for ODI Series Against England:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Indian 15-member Squad for Champions Trophy:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar.
