mumbai: Varun Chakraborty finds himself under the spotlight ahead of India’s crucial clash against England national cricket team after a dip in form during the Super 8 stage of the tournament. Despite being one of India’s most effective bowlers in recent T20 internationals, the mystery spinner has struggled to maintain his earlier dominance as batters have begun to read his variations more effectively.
The spinner had earlier received high praise from former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth, who described him as a modern-day great in T20Is and even suggested that he could be more lethal than Jasprit Bumrah in the shortest format.
Such praise came after Chakravarthy’s impressive performances for India since his return to the T20I side in October 2024.
Outstanding numbers since comeback
Chakravarthy’s statistics underline his importance to the Indian bowling attack. Since returning to the national team, he has taken 69 wickets in 37 T20I matches maintaining an impressive average of 14.17 and an economy rate slightly above 7 runs per over.
During the early stages of the tournament, he was among the standout performers for India.
In the match against Netherlands national cricket team, the spinner delivered a remarkable spell, claiming three wickets for 14 runs in three overs. That performance also highlighted his growing impact in the team, with his wicket tally surpassing that of Bumrah in matches where both had played together.
At that point, Chakravarthy had 30 wickets compared to Bumrah’s 22 across the 21 matches they had featured in together.
Super 8 stage exposes weaknesses
However, the Super 8 stage proved more challenging for the spinner.
In India’s match against the South Africa national cricket team, Chakravarthy conceded 47 runs in four overs marking one of his most expensive spells in recent times.
The situation improved slightly in the next game against the Zimbabwe national cricket team, but he still conceded 35 runs while managing to take only one wicket.
In the subsequent match against the West Indies cricket team, he started well by dismissing Shai Hope early in his spell. However, the rest of the innings proved costly as he ended with figures of 40 runs conceded in four overs.
The inconsistency has now raised concerns among analysts and former players as India prepare for the crucial knockout stage.
Batters adapting to his bowling
Experts believe that one of the key reasons behind Chakravarthy’s recent struggles is that batters have begun to anticipate his most dangerous weapon — the googly.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif noted that the spinner has relied heavily on the googly throughout the tournament, while using his traditional leg-spin less frequently.
As a result, batters are now prepared to treat his deliveries almost like an off-spinner, expecting the ball to turn inward.
This approach allows them to play aggressive shots straight down the ground or towards long-on.
Chakravarthy had previously developed his leg-spin with a traditional seam position and significant overspin to make his googly even more deceptive. According to his coach Prathiban, this adjustment had been central to his success in recent years.
However, analysts believe the spinner may have drifted away from that balanced approach in recent matches.
Batters target him with aggressive approach
Another factor contributing to Chakravarthy’s difficulties has been the aggressive strategy adopted by opposing batters.
Players have increasingly used the step-hit techniquewhere they plant their front foot and attempt to hit the ball straight down the ground with minimal foot movement.
This tactic has worked effectively for several players, including David Miller and Dewald Brevis of South Africa.
Statistics reveal that 20 of the 60 sixes Chakravarthy has conceded in his T20 career have come in the last 10 matches highlighting how batters have begun targeting him more aggressively.
Observers have also noted that the spinner occasionally appears under pressure when runs start flowing, sometimes deviating from his preferred wicket-to-wicket length.
Experts still back him for England clash
Despite recent struggles, many cricket experts continue to back Chakravarthy to play a key role in India’s next match.
Former India fast bowler Laxmipathy Balaji believes there is no strong reason to replace him with Kuldeep Yadav, pointing out that Chakravarthy remains a crucial member of the bowling unit.
Interestingly, Chakravarthy has an excellent record against England.
In five matches against England he has taken 14 wickets at an average of 9.85 which ranks among his best performances against a Full Member international team.
Encouragement from India’s coaching staff
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has also expressed confidence in the spinner.
Morkel spent additional time working with Chakravarthy ahead of the match and emphasised that the spinner possesses the ability to take a wicket with almost any delivery due to his variations.
The coach suggested that the key for Chakravarthy is to remain confident and avoid putting excessive pressure on himself to deliver match-winning performances in every spell.
Crucial moment for the spinner
As India prepare to take the field at the Wankhede Stadium, the team will be hoping Chakravarthy can rediscover the form that made him one of the most dangerous T20 bowlers in the world.
For the mystery spinner, the challenge may simply lie in returning to the fundamentals that brought him success — maintaining control over his length, mixing his variations wisely and trusting his proven record against strong opponents.
If he manages to regain his rhythm, Chakravarthy could once again become a decisive factor in India’s quest for victory.
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