There’s been growing speculation around India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who could be in line for a surprise call-up for the ODI series against England. Despite India already having a strong spin contingent for the series, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner has reportedly joined the Indian squad in Nagpur, raising questions about a potential change in plans.
Chakravarthy’s Impressive T20I Performances
Chakravarthy was India’s standout performer during the recent 5-match T20I series against England, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with an impressive 14 wickets. However, despite his stellar performance in the T20 format, he wasn’t included in India’s squad for the ODI series. Instead, India has named Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja as the spinners for the upcoming series.
“Varun Chakravarthy has been phenomenal with the ball in T20s, and his inclusion in the ODI squad would give India an added edge,” a source close to the team remarked.
A Change in Plans?
Though Chakravarthy was left out of the initial squad for the ODI series against England, his recent appearance at the team’s training camp in Nagpur has sparked rumors of a potential late addition to the squad. This has raised eyebrows, suggesting that India’s management may have decided to make a last-minute change, possibly based on his recent performances and current form.
“Chakravarthy’s presence at the training session suggests that the team management may be rethinking their selection, and the mystery spinner could make his way into the squad,” one observer noted.
The Champions Trophy Call-Up?
Chakravarthy’s exclusion from the provisional squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Dubai has also raised some questions. Despite being backed by cricketers like Ravichandran Ashwin, who has voiced his opinion that Chakravarthy could make the Champions Trophy squad, the spinner didn’t make the initial cut.
“I firmly believe that Varun Chakravarthy will be on that plane to Dubai for the Champions Trophy,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, advocating for the inclusion of the mystery spinner.
However, changes can still be made to the squad before the final deadline of February 11. For Chakravarthy to earn a spot in the Champions Trophy squad, he will need to make an impact in the ongoing ODI series against England, proving his worth to the selectors.
India’s ODI Squad
India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against England is as follows:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Shubman Gill (VC)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rishabh Pant
- Ravindra Jadeja
Chakravarthy’s ODI Debut Still Pending
Despite his success in the T20I format, Chakravarthy has not yet made his debut in One-Day Internationals. If he is included in the squad for the series against England, it would mark his debut in the 50-over format.
“Seeing Chakravarthy step onto the field for his ODI debut would be exciting, and fans would be eager to see how he fares in the longer format,” a former cricketer shared.
Conclusion
With India already boasting a solid spin attack for the England ODI series, the addition of Varun Chakravarthy would be a major shake-up. Whether he gets his chance to feature in the series opener or not remains uncertain, but the mystery spinner could be one to watch in the coming days. His inclusion could also have implications for India’s squad for the Champions Trophy in February, with his impressive form in the T20Is making him a strong contender for the tournament.
Stay tuned for updates on Chakravarthy’s potential call-up, and his future with the Indian team.
