India's mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, has been rewarded for his outstanding bowling performance in the T20I series against England. He has now been included in the ODI squad for the three-match series against England (IND vs ENG). Indian team management wants Varun to remain in the groove, especially before the 2025 Champions Trophy. His inclusion points toward selectors' intentions to include him in the big tournament, likely as a replacement for one of the four specialist spinners already in the Champions Trophy list. Either Kuldeep Yadav or Washington Sundar would be dropped in place of him, depending on the performance of Varun in the ODI series.
Reasons For Chetan Varun's Selection Based On Recent Form
Varun also clinched the Player of the Series award as he took 14 wickets in the five-match T20 series against England. He was not even considered in India's team for the ODI series against England or for the Champions Trophy. However, with such an outstanding form, selectors have chosen to include him in the ODI setup. He has already started training with the team. Vice-captain Shubman Gill has confirmed his selection, while head coach Gautam Gambhir wants to see how Varun can bowl against some of the Indian top batters like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rishabh Pant.
The first opportunity for changes in the squad will be on or before February 12, when the squads for the Champions Trophy can be changed. He is a definite contender for the place, but his selection will depend on his performance in the ODI series against England. India's spin department currently comprises Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar (finger spinners), with Kuldeep Yadav being the sole wrist spinner.
Team Management Solution for Varun
He further added that the team wants Varun to continue bowling in the nets of the ODI team and maintain his current form before the IPL 2025 season starts. India's matches in the Champions Trophy are scheduled in Dubai, where spin-friendly conditions may favor Varun. However, the last time he played in the UAE was during the 2021 T20 World Cup, when he failed to impress. Since then, he had honed his bowling skills distinctly.
Key Role in T20I Series Win
Varun had played a great role in helping India win the T20Is series 4-1 over England. When India's batting was not quite up to mark, their bowling, led by Varun, dominated the home team. In the series he bowled thus:
- 3/23 (1st match)
- 2/38 (2nd match)
- 5/24 (3rd match)
- 2/28 (4th match)
- 2/25 (5th match)
The great batsmen that Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone are-they too fell prey to Varun. Neither could they get a read of his variations. It resulted in dismissals at quite frequent intervals. Such kind of performance meant that the call for Varun in the Champions Trophy squad started to gain attention, and finally, he earned his ODI call-up against England.
Opportunities and Challenges in ODIs
Varun has played great T20 cricket, winning 33 out of 18 matches at a very good average of 14.57, but injuries usually stopped him for long periods for the international season. Now Varun has, hopefully, earned himself a niche in ODIs as well where he will first need to acquaint himself with playing 10-overs spells: more time there for the likes of English to read his bowled deliveries better. Whereas in T20s, the batsmen need to be aggressively aggressive, ODIs will allow a bit more patient approach which may make it a little easier to play against a mystery spinner like Varun. But his unpredictable bowling always provides him with the upper hand.
Limited List-A and First-Class Experience
Varun has limited List-A games under his belt, having played only 23 matches in domestic cricket. His first-class experience is also minimal, playing only one game due to fitness issues. The ODI series against England will be a very important test to determine his effectiveness in the format. If he continues his wicket-taking spree and troubles English batters like he did in T20s, India may have found a match-winner for the Champions Trophy. With spin-friendly conditions in the UAE, Varun can emerge as a vital player for Team India in the event.
