IND vs AUS: Ahead of the semi-final match of the Champions Trophy 2025 between India and Australia, discussions have intensified about mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who is included in the Indian team.
Recently he performed brilliantly against New Zealand and took 5 wickets for 42 runs in 10 overs. Now the question arises whether captain Rohit Sharma will give him a chance in the playing eleven against Australia?
If Varun Chakravarthy becomes a part of the Indian team, then the problems of Australian batsmen may increase. Looking at his performance in the last few matches, it is clear that the opposition batsmen are not able to read him easily.
Let’s take a look at Varun Chakravarthy’s career and statistics before the semi-finals.
Varun Chakravarthy is making a consistent mark in the England series
Varun Chakravarthy started his brilliant bowling in the T20 series against England. In this series, he took 14 wickets in 5 matches and won the Player of the Series title .
His brilliant performance did not stop here. After this, he took 12 wickets against England in the 3-match T20 series.
However, he did not get a chance in the Champions Trophy against Bangladesh and Pakistan. But when he got a chance to play against New Zealand, he used it in a great way and proved his usefulness by taking 5 wickets.
Will he get a place in the playing eleven in the semi-finals?
Whether to include Varun Chakravarthy in the team for the semi-final match against Australia or not will be a big decision for captain Rohit Sharma and the team management.
- His current form is excellent.
- Australian batsmen may face trouble due to his mystery spin.
- He has performed brilliantly against New Zealand.
However, it will be interesting to see with which playing eleven Team India takes the field. But given the way Varun Chakraborty is performing, it will not be easy for the Australian batsmen to play him.
Varun Chakravarthy’s ODI career: The journey so far
- If we look at his ODI career , so far he has got a chance to play only 2 ODIs.
- He has taken 6 wickets in these 2 matches
- His bowling average has been 16.00 and economy 4.80
- His best performance was 5 wickets for 42 runs , which he did against New Zealand in Dubai.
- However, the impact he has made despite playing so little ODI cricket shows that he is a big match player.
Varun Chakravarthy shines in IPL
Varun Chakravarthy has also made a lot of headlines with his performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) .
- He plays for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- In the 2021 IPL season, he took 21 wickets in 18 matches and played an important role in taking his team to the final.
- The biggest strength of his bowling is that batsmen are unable to read him.
Seeing his performance in IPL, the Indian selectors showed confidence in him and gave him a chance in the national team.
Why will Varun Chakravarthy be important against Australia?
- Mystery spin: It will not be easy for Australian batsmen to understand Varun Chakravarthy’s bowling.
- Strong form: Recently, he showed that he is a big match player by taking 5 wickets against New Zealand.
- Spin can be helpful: The pitch on which the semi-final will be played can help the spinners.
If he comes into the playing XI, India will get an additional spin option, which could prove to be a game changer against Australia.
Varun Chakravarthy’s cricket career: At a glance
| figures | Description |
|---|---|
| Full name | Varun Chakravarthy |
| Birth | 29 August 1991 |
| ODI Matches | 2 |
| ODI wickets | 6 |
| ODI average | 16.00 |
| ODI Economy | 4.80 |
| Best Performance (ODI) | 5/42 Vs New Zealand |
| T20 International Matches | 13 |
| T20 wickets | 25 |
| Best performance (T20) | 3/13 |
| IPL Team | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) |
| IPL wickets (2021) | 21 wickets |
The selection of Varun Chakravarthy remains an interesting topic of discussion ahead of the semi-final clash between India and Australia .
- His performance against New Zealand has impressed the selectors.
- Australian batsmen may face problems due to his mystery spin.
- His current form is excellent.
However, the final decision will be taken by captain Rohit Sharma and the team management whether to include him in the playing XI or not. But if he gets a chance,It could prove to be a big headache.
