The explosiveness of India’s batting line-up has been vital to the team’s dominance in T20Is over the past year-and-a-half. At the same time, what has also made a big difference for the team is a potent wicket-taker in the form of Varun Chakravarthy.
Quickly establishing himself as a vital part of the T20I group since his India comeback in October 2024, the spinner hasn’t just been a mystery that remains unsolved for most of the opposition batters, but is also among the ones holding the key to Team India’s successful T20 World Cup defence. The numbers already indicate so.
With nine wickets from four matches, Varun is India’s top wicket-taker so far in this World Cup. Regardless of whether it’s an extremely flat deck or on the slower side, Varun’s ploy of attacking the stumps consistently alongside his change of pace, googly, over-spin and under-cutter keeps him a step ahead of the batsmen even if they are very well set.
The 17 wickets he has taken in seven T20Is on South African and Australian soil — 12 scalps from four matches in South Africa and five from three Down Under — are also a reflection of that.
In a nutshell, given Varun’s variations and the positive mindset he goes in with following his incredible consistency in this format, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the conditions aren’t much in the equation when he’s bowling.
Like how it is for his teammates, Varun too will be facing bigger tests heading into the Super Eight stage of this World Cup. His first test will be against South Africa here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
In the home T20Is against the Proteas last December, the googly was one of Varun’s most potent weapons, while he had also foxed the likes of Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram with his over-spin, alongside the occasional change of pace.
Usually a tad faster through the air, the variation in terms of his pace doesn’t quite allow batters to shimmy down the track off his deliveries.
Lately, Varun has also worked on the under-cutter, which has earned him wickets in the ongoing World Cup as well. Being rooted at the crease and trying to launch him for big hits is not the right approach, a mistake South Africa too have made when facing Varun.
The spot-on accuracy he maintains bowling the stump-to-stump line, a little bit of patience, along with diligent footwork, is of utmost importance for South Africa and the other teams India will be facing going forward in the Cup.
Extra spinner dilemma
Interestingly, it was only two months ago when India hosted the Proteas here in a contest they won by 30 runs, with Varun taking 4/53 off his four overs.
His knowledge of these conditions at the Motera certainly gives him an advantage while making matters tougher for the Proteas. Having said so, on the black-soil Motera wicket, India may find themselves in a bit of a dilemma regarding their bowling attack. Precisely, their spin attack.
Match-winner and game-changer Varun aside, skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy and spinner all-rounder Axar Patel will most likely return to the XI after being rested for the Netherlands game on Wednesday. But will Arshdeep Singh, who played in place of chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav against the Dutchmen, continue in the XI?
Kuldeep does tend to be a little more expensive at times. But considering his variations, he can come in handy against a side that isn’t too expert in tackling spin.
Besides, the pitch in use for the Netherlands clash wasn’t much on the flatter side, where strokeplay didn’t seem too easy. “If the track that will be used for the South Africa game seems to be of a similar nature and tricky, Kuldeep’s chances of returning to the XI cannot be ruled out,” a BCCI insider told The Telegraph on Thursday.
“But if it’s on the flatter side and aiding strokeplay more, Varun and Axar will be the two spinners in all likelihood, with Washy (Washington Sundar) going out. In such conditions, it may not be the best idea to go in with an extra spinner by dropping Arshdeep and having just one specialist pacer (Jasprit Bumrah),” the official added.
