Since Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav took charge of India’s T20 setup, Varun Chakravarthy has emerged as a vital cog in the team’s white-ball spin plans. The 34-year-old mystery spinner, renowned for his subtle variations, has enjoyed a remarkable career resurgence. His potency and control have allowed India the luxury of playing an extra batter, even keeping their most successful T20I bowler, Arshdeep Singh, on the bench. While Chakravarthy hasn’t set the Asia Cup alight and has just two wickets to his name, his impeccable economy rate (5.30) has been crucial in stifling opposition scoring. He played a pivotal role in India’s group-stage wins over UAE and Pakistan, a run that propelled him to the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I bowling rankings with 747 rating points.
Chakravarthy featured in India’s first two Group A matches, bowling five overs across both games with impressive control. Against UAE in Dubai, he returned 1/4 after getting to bowl just a couple of overs as the home team was skittled for 57. In the high-stakes clash against Pakistan, he bowled four overs for 24 runs, claiming allrounder Faheem Ashraf’s wicket with a googly to restrict them to 127. He almost had identical bowling figures in the Super 4 clash on Sunday but was unlucky not to add Saim Ayub’s scalp as Kuldeep Yadav grassed a simple chance at short fineleg. Chakravarthy’s figures — career economy of 6.80 and average of 15.25 — underline his ability to strangle runs on spin-friendly tracks. This Asia Cup showing caps off a stellar 2025, highlighted by his 14 wickets against England, including a match-winning 5/24. His rise to the top of the ICC rankings, overtaking New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy, represents a career-best for the Tamil Nadu star, who also crossed 100 IPL wickets last season. Known for his variations — leg-breaks, toppers, and sliders — Chakravarthy has consistently troubled batters, though some analysts feel his Asia Cup wicket tally (2/60) could be higher for a lead spinner. He was rested for India’s final group game against Oman, a move that underlined both India’s depth and Chakravarthy’s importance. Captain Suryakumar Yadav praised his tireless preparation. “Whether he’s playing or not, he likes to bowl 8–10 overs every day. Even against Oman, he was pumped up in the warm-up and I had to tell him, ‘Machaan, you’re resting today.’ His preparation is what sets him apart — he’s always ready,” Surya said in Abu Dhabi. Earlier this year, Chakravarthy was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy with nine scalps at an average of 15, including a 5/42 against New Zealand at the very venue where his international career faltered during the 2021 T20 World Cup. He had gone back to the drawing board after that disappointment, reworking his action and completely switching from side-spin to over-spin.
