Continuing its unbeaten journey, Team India defeated New Zealand on Sunday to claim the Champions Trophy. Throughout the series, India's bowling dominance was evident. Especially before the quartet of spinners, every team seemed to falter. Among these bowlers, one name stands out: Varun Chakravarthy, for whom this Champions Trophy will always be memorable.
Suddenly Added to the Team and Conquered
When Team India announced their squad for the Champions Trophy, Varun Chakravarthy was not included. But when Jasprit Bumrah couldn't recover from his injury, Varun was added at the last moment. It was said then that Varun might hardly be a part of the playing eleven because the team already had three quality spinners.
No Chance in First Two Matches, But...
Varun Chakravarthy did not get a chance in the first two Champions Trophy matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, when India's place in the semifinals was confirmed, Rohit Sharma made a strategic move in the last league match against New Zealand. That move was Varun Chakravarthy. India stepped onto the field with four spinners.
Initially Stunned with His Mystery Spin
In the match against New Zealand, India set a target of 250 runs. But the entire Kiwi team faltered against Varun Chakravarthy alone. Varun took five wickets and restricted New Zealand to 205 runs. The spinner contingent, and particularly Varun's bowling, shone brightly.
After this, Varun secured his place in the semifinals as well. There, too, he did not disappoint. He took two crucial wickets, including that of Travis Head, who was a significant headache for India. In the finals, Varun took two more wickets.
Second Highest Wicket Taker
In this Champions Trophy, Varun Chakravarthy was the second highest wicket-taker. At the top was New Zealand's Henry with 10 wickets, but Varun took a close 9 wickets despite missing the first two matches.
A Comeback to Remember...
Back in 2021, when the Indian team, led by Kohli, played the T20 World Cup, Varun Chakravarthy was selected. He was touted as a mystery spinner, but failed to impress, and India exited in the group stage. Varun played in three matches in that tournament but was unable to take a single wicket and was subsequently dropped from the team.
It seemed like Varun's comeback was unlikely. However, after three years of hard work, he returned to T20 cricket. Now, in Dubai, where he was once shown the door, Varun staged a spectacular comeback.
Varun Chakravarthy has transformed potential challenges into glorious achievements, leaving his mark as a mysterious spinner who emerged as an invaluable asset for Indian cricket.
