Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin praised spinner Varun Chakravarthy ahead of the Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia. Chakravarthy, who excelled with figures of 5/42 against New Zealand, is considered an ‘X-factor’ for the team. Ashwin fondly recalled how Chakravarthy didn’t play during his IPL season due to injury and expressed regret over that missed opportunity. He lauded India’s captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir for selecting him. Ashwin emphasized Chakravarthy’s unique bowling style, likening the cautious approach batsmen take against him to that of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, which bodes well for India’s strategy.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has given glowing accolades to spinner Varun Chakravarthy in anticipation of the Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia in Dubai. Chakravarthy, who missed India’s first two group matches, made a stunning comeback with figures of 5/42 in the final game against New Zealand. Before the much-anticipated showdown between India and Australia, Ashwin delved into why Chakravarthy is not merely a spinner but an ‘X-factor’ for the Indian team. He also reminisced about Chakravarthy’s time with Punjab’s squad in the IPL, when he did not play a single game that season due to an injury.
“I was the captain when Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) acquired him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t take to the field at all due to a shoulder injury. It was unfortunate for both him and me. If he had played that season, it would have benefited both me and the team immensely. Having said that, New Zealand seemed completely out of sorts against Varun Chakravarthy. India’s spin threat is proving to be exceptional,” Ashwin stated in a video on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also commended India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir for opting to include Chakravarthy in the playing XI against New Zealand.
“In fact, I had predicted before the match (that Chakravarthy would play) not because I believed Rohit and Gambhir would think along those lines, but because it was the right decision. And he performed exceptionally well; he justified the trust placed in him by Rohit and Gambhir. He has truly established himself as the X-factor,” he added.
Ashwin further drew parallels between Chakravarthy and star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, noting how batsmen are struggling against the former, adopting a cautious approach similar to their strategy against the latter.
“I must emphasize, I included him in the last match because I don’t view him simply as a spinner. He goes beyond that; he is an X-factor bowler. While there is no direct comparison between Jasprit Bumrah and him, batters tend to play cautiously against both. For instance, look at Daryl Mitchell’s wicket—he had no idea which way the ball would turn,” Ashwin explained.
“With a new ball, giving it to Varun and asking him to bowl over the stumps to Travis Head might be a game-changer. Travis Head exposes all three stumps, then shifts his leg to strike over the field. Varun Chakravarthy with the new ball could provide India with a significant advantage. It promises to be an exhilarating contest,” he added.
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