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Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy came in as a late inclusion in India’s squad replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final list for the Champions Trophy.
Varun Chakaravarthy is the fifth spinner India have picked in their squad. (BCCI Photo)
Ahead of the deadline to make final squad changes for the upcoming Champions Trophy, India made a debatable call to drop top-order batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and instead added another spinner in Varun Chakaravarthy. With Chakaravarthy’s inclusion, India now have as many as five spinners in their 15-man squad giving an indication that the team management is expecting the tweakers to play a prominent role in Dubai – the venue where India will play all their Champions Trophy matches as part of the Hybrid Model.
Chakaravarthy has played 18 T20Is for India and been in a good form recently, winning player-of-the-series award as India defeated England 4-1 in a five-match series earlier this month.
He was given his ODI debut against England in Cuttack and finished with bowling figures of 1/54 from 10 overs. However, he missed out the third ODI due to a sore right calf.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has explained the rationale behind Chakaravarthy’s inclusion. “The only reason was because we wanted another wicket-taking option in the middle and we know that what Varun Chakravarthy brings to the table,” Gambhir said.
“We know that Varun can be a massive threat and with a lot of teams who haven’t played him and he could be a X-factor as well. I’m not going to say that he’s going to start and all that stuff but it’s always good to have a strong bowling line-up.
“Because we know that if he can actually get those wickets in the middle, it’s always going to be an advantage and that was one of the reasons otherwise we know that Yashasvi has got a fabulous future ahead, it’s just that we could only pick 15,” Gambhir added.
Like Chakaravarthy, Jaiswal too made his ODI debut during the England series and made 22 runs in Nagpur before being consigned to the bench.
India will face Bangladesh in their opening match of the Champions Trophy on February 20.
- Location :
Ahmadabad, India, India
