Varun Chakravarthy was not even in the initial squad India had named for this Champions Trophy. He came in after being preferred over Yashavi Jaiswal.
At the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, the leg-spinner proved how correct that decision was. In what was just his second ODI appearance, Varun’s 5/42 simply bamboozled New Zealand and led India to a comprehensive 44-run win as they topped Group A.
In the first semi-final on Tuesday, India will take on Australia, a game where it will be very tough to drop Varun, who replaced pacer Harshit Rana on Sunday.
After being put in, India managed 249/9, thanks to Shreyas Iyer’s 79, his crucial 98-run fourth-wicket stand with Axar Patel (42) and Hardik Pandya’s run-a-ball 45. It was not a fancy total, but New Zealand’s chase looked tougher in any case as the pitch was expected to slow down and aid the spinners.
Varun found the ideal conditions to bowl. He couldn’t get Kane Williamson (81) out despite keeping the latter quiet mostly, but accounted for opener Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (who wouldn’t have been out on taking the DRS), rival captain Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry. Varun’s five-for was the key to bowling the Black Caps out for 205 in 45.3 overs.
Varun relied largely on the googly while the New Zealand batters, who haven’t faced him much, were all at sea against him almost right through his spell. Credit also goes to the left-arm spin trio of Axar, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja for bowling very few loose balls.
Earlier, Phillips’ stunner at backward point cut short Virat Kohli’s stay in his 300th ODI as India were then languishing at 30/3 in the seventh over. However, Shreyas and Axar were prepared to grind it out during that phase. New Zealand tested Shreyas with the short stuff. Though the India No. 4 mostly dealt with them well, he ultimately fell to such a rising delivery from pacer Will O'Rourke.