CT Semis: Should India Play Chakravarthy?

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Last updated on: March 03, 2025 18:56 IST

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Except in the IPL, the Australians have not had a good look at Varun Chakravarthy's bowling and that could spell trouble for Steve Smith and Co.

Varun Chakravarthy

IMAGE: Varun Chakravarthy has foxed batters with his mystery bowling and can prove a handful against Australia if picked for the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. Photograph: Satish Kumar/Reuters
 

The Indian cricket team is riding the wave of success in the Champions Trophy.

There will be no tinkering with the batting order unless there are forced changes.

With Shubman Gill lighting up the innings with his eye-pleasing, effortless, batting up the order, he has dominated the opposition from the get-go

Shreyas Iyer's batting has been seamless and with two half centuries already in the tournament, Iyer will be looking to carry the momentum into the semis.

There is no rocket science involved to know that the middle order on the scorecard will continue to flash the same names: Wicket-keeper K L Rahul and all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja.

Captain Rohit Sharma and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir will be scratching their heads over the bowling composition.

Should they play two seamers or have two spinners, with mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy partnering Kuldeep Yadav to shake things up the middle of the Australian innings.

On Sunday, in only his second ODI and his first outing in the ICC Champions Trophy, Chakravarthy, who was a last-minute entrant in the squad, picked up a fifer against New Zealand to help India to victory and finish atop Group A standings.

Except in the Indian Premier League, the Australians have not had a good look at Chakravarthy's bowling and that could spell trouble for Steve Smith and Co.

Batters have found it hard to read Chakravarthy from his hand and his ability to bowl with pace in the air is an added tool that can fox the best batters.

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Given his form and the help he can generate from the pitch, it will only be prudent for Team India to play the same XI that played on Sunday.

Former head coach Ravi Shastri also gave the leggie a vote of confidence.

'It's the right time to unleash him. They brought him into the side; he's got a five wicket haul, and I think he's there to stay,' Shastri said in an ICC video posted on Instagram.

So should India persist with Chakravarthy for the semi-finals? Please pick your team by clicking on the boxes below:

 

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