Tamil Nadu's star spinner Varun Chakravarthy ran riot with the ball in the Vijay Hazare to throw his name in the ring for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. In a crucial pre-quarterfinal match against Rajasthan at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Thursday, January 9th, Chakravarthy produced a fiery spell studded with a sensational fifer in a crucial match.
Varun Chakravarthy's fantastic fifer in Vijay Hazare
Rajasthan had made a strong start to their innings. However, Chakravarthy played an instrumental role in restricting their score to 267 runs. He effectively broke a crucial 160-run partnership between centurion Abhijeet Tomar and captain Mahipal Lomror. Chakravarthy dismissed both batters and also accounted for Deepak Hooda, a key player in Rajasthan's middle order. This triggered a their batting collapse, with Rajasthan losing four wickets for just 25 runs after being comfortably placed at 184/1. Chakravarthy notched a brilliant bowling figures of 5/52 in nine overs.
Chakravarthy effectively utilised his variations to disrupt the Rajasthan batters. A well-set Mahipal Lomror fell victim to a deceptive googly, which proved crucial in breaking the significant partnership.
The 32-year-old star spinner has been a standout performer in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He currently leads the wicket-takers' chart with an impressive 18 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls, in just six matches. Notably, his economy rate of 4.36 is the best among bowlers who have taken at least 15 wickets in the tournament. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh follows closely with 17 wickets at an economy rate of 5.53 in six matches.
Chakravarthy made a successful return to international cricket in 2024 after a three-year absence. He has been consistently striving to secure a permanent place in the T20I squad. In a recent T20I series against South Africa, he showcased his prowess by claiming 12 wickets in just four matches, including a remarkable five-wicket haul in Gqeberha.
While he is yet to make his ODI debut, reports indicate that he is being seriously considered for a place in the squad. Notably, his recall to the Indian cricket team last year received strong support from coach Gautam Gambhir.
The Indian team faces a challenging selection dilemma regarding their spin-bowling options for the upcoming Champions Trophy. Kuldeep Yadav, who was sidelined from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to injury, is expected to make a return. Furthermore, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar are all strong contenders for selection.
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