New Zealand captain states his team is well prepared for Varun’s bowling, having already faced him in a group stage match.
Varun Chakravarthy picked up five wickets against New Zealand • ICC via Getty Images
There are many experienced Indian players that the New Zealand team will be mindful of in the Champions Trophy final. However, one relatively inexperienced player is also significantly on the minds of the New Zealand batsmen.
Varun Chakravarthy has only played three ODIs, but in those matches, he has taken eight wickets at an average of 18.12. His best performance was against New Zealand in their group match where he took 5 wickets for 42 runs on a pitch favoring spin, leaving several New Zealand batsmen unable to read him.
Chakravarthy’s impact isn’t limited to New Zealand’s batsmen alone. Just two days before the final, he was seen troubling even Virat Kohli in net practice at the ICC Academy. Following his five-wicket haul against New Zealand, Chakravarthy delivered another strong performance against Australia in the semi-final on a less spin-friendly pitch, taking 2 wickets for 49 runs in 10 overs.
Having already faced Chakravarthy once could be advantageous for the batsmen in handling him, according to New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner in his pre-final statement.
‘I believe the team will be better prepared after facing Varun in the previous match. He is clearly a world-class bowler, as we’ve seen here and in the IPL. He possesses a certain mystery. It was the first time some of our players faced him. I expect they will learn from that experience.’
Santner himself experienced a particularly challenging delivery from Chakravarthy in the group match, a flat, fast ball that spun sharply to dismiss him.
‘If the pitch behaves similarly, it will be challenging, especially with their other three spinners. I think the guys will be ready for tomorrow after reviewing more footage. We are now aware of his threats, particularly that 115kph arm ball that got me – that is a significant threat.’
While Chakravarthy is India’s leading spin wicket-taker in the tournament, India’s other spinners have also been effective on the turning Dubai pitch. Axar Patel has five wickets, and Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja each have four. They were particularly effective in the middle overs in the previous game against New Zealand.
‘The way Axar and Jadeja controlled the game against us for a long period suggests a similar scenario might occur on a slow pitch. If you can rotate the strike and capitalize on the occasional loose ball, you can build a decent score,’ Santner noted.
‘We have some capable players of spin, and it’s about allowing them to play their natural game, whether that’s using the sweep shot or their footwork. We aim to give our players the freedom to play their own way.’
New Zealand also has a strong spin attack, including Santner, Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra.
‘Conversely, we face a similar situation. For us, it’s about applying sustained pressure to induce false shots.’
