Karthik brings back two-month-old 'Champions Trophy' demand for Varun Chakaravarthy: 'Could India have fitted him in?'

Karthik brings back two-month-old 'Champions Trophy' demand for Varun Chakaravarthy: 'Could India have fitted him in?'

Karthik brings back two-month-old 'Champions Trophy' demand for Varun Chakaravarthy: 'Could India have fitted him in?' ByHT Sports Desk Jan 22, 2025 09:20 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Dinesh Karthik reacted to Varun Chakaravarthy's impressive 3/23 figures in the 1st T20I of the series against England.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has once again voiced his support for Varun Chakaravarthy after the 29-year-old leg-spinner's stellar performance in the first T20I of the series against England. Over two months ago, Karthik urged the BCCI to include Chakravarthy in the Champions Trophy squad. Despite his outstanding displays in T20Is, the spinner was not picked for the ODI squad, with the Champions Trophy being in the 50-over format.

India's Varun Chakaravarthy and Suryakumar Yadav celebrate(Surjeet Yadav)

Chakravarthy, who has quickly become one of India's most consistent bowlers in the shortest format over the past months, cemented his reputation with a brilliant 3/23 performance in the first T20I in Kolkata on Wednesday. His ability to adapt on various pitches have earned him positive reviews, including from Karthik, who has been following the bowler’s progress closely.

Reacting to his earlier tweet from two months ago, where he stated that India would make a “grave error” if they don't pick Chakaravarthy for the Champions Trophy, Karthik shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Could they’ve fitted him in????”

Chakaravarthy's strong performances

Chakravarthy, known for his deceptive variations and uncanny accuracy, had been particularly exceptional during the second T20I of the series against South Africa, where he returned remarkable figures of 5/17. Though India lost the game, Varun’s spell stood out as the best T20I figures by a bowler from a full member nation in a losing cause.

Despite a significant break between India's T20I outings, Chakaravarthy showed the same consistency on Wednesday against England. where he took three wickets; he dismissed three of England's star batters – captain Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, and Liam Livingstone.

Chakravarthy’s performances have also been impressive in the IPL, where he played a vital role for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). With 21 wickets at an average of 19.14 in IPL 2024, Varun has showcased his immense potential across all formats.

Although Varun has yet to make his ODI debut, his recent displays have only strengthened the argument for his inclusion in future limited-overs squads.