Not Just Varun Chakravarthy! Former India Coach Suggests Another Spinner for England Series
India is taking on England in the first ODI of their three-match series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur. The match sees two debutants for India, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana, making their ODI debuts. Meanwhile, spinner Varun Chakravarthy is in the squad but will have to wait for his chance in the upcoming matches. Chakravarthy joins the squad following a standout performance in T20Is, where he claimed 26 wickets across the last two series, including being named Player of the Series in the T20I series against England.
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar mentioned that the Indian selectors may have also considered Yuzvendra Chahal for the spot, given his excellent record in the 50-over format. However, Varun has yet to make his ODI debut for India.
“T20 is a format that fits Varun’s style of play, and it raises the question about Chahal’s future, especially considering his impressive record in the 50-over format. If the team had been looking for another wrist-spinner, Chahal’s name would likely have been part of the discussion. However, it’s difficult to comment from the outside on the team’s thinking or the management’s preferences. Ultimately, it all depends on their perspective,” Bangar shared on Star Sports Press Room.
Bangar further highlighted that Chahal’s effectiveness in the longer format lies in his ability to deceive batters with guile in the air, rather than just relying on turn off the surface, as Chakravarthy tends to do.
He continued, “I believe Chahal remains a strong option because, in longer formats, you need bowlers who can deceive the batsmen in the air, not just off the surface. The decision between Chahal and Varun would have been tight, but the selectors and team management felt Varun was in good form and could deliver the results the team needed.”
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