Dubai, March 3 Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu believes Varun Chakaravarthy’s 5-42 in the 44-run win over New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy has created a serious selection dilemma for the team management ahead of the semifinal clash against Australia.
Replacing Harshit Rana in India’s playing eleven for their final Group A game, Chakaravarthy bamboozled New Zealand with his variations to pick a five-wicket haul in just his second ODI and lead India to the top of the points table in their group.
“Varun was great. Early in his career, he wasn’t very consistent with his lines and lengths. But now, his bowling makes him a very difficult bowler to face. His action naturally makes it look like he’s delivering left-arm spin, but 90 per cent of his deliveries are googlies, making it tough for batsmen who haven’t faced him before.
“I don't think many New Zealand batsmen have played against him much, and he will only continue to improve for India. His impressive performance might have created a selection dilemma heading into the semifinals. India will have a tough time deciding, with so many big players to choose from, but Varun Chakaravarthy has been brilliant,” said Rayudu on JioHotstar.
He also praised India’s other spinners for being amongst the wickets and felt New Zealand have to improve their play against spin ahead of their semifinal meeting against South Africa on Wednesday in Lahore.
“We’ve seen his (Chakaravarthy's) impact in India, and all the spinners were outstanding — Jadeja was amazing, and all four spinners bowled exceptionally well. The pitch definitely assisted them, but New Zealand’s batsmen also struggled against spin, which is an area they will need to improve."
Rayudu also showered praise on Shreyas Iyer, who rescued India from a top-order collapse with a fine 79, adding that the dynamic right-handed batter showed the importance of a steady number four batter in the line-up.
"The importance of a No. 4 batsman is evident here. You need someone to play such crucial innings when the top order fails, especially on challenging surfaces that are not easy to bat on. That’s where No. 4 and No. 5 become critical in an ODI game.
“Shreyas played an amazing innings, and his partnership with Axar Patel was crucial. The ease with which he batted on this pitch was remarkable. He handled short balls well until he got out and played spin beautifully, using the crease and angles to his advantage.
“He picked the pace of the ball much better than many others in the Indian lineup. It was an unbelievable knock, and he's been champion at No. 4. We don’t talk about him enough, but he has had a great impact on this Indian side," he concluded.
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