Varun Chakravarthy’s unexpected inclusion in the Indian Champions Trophy team turned out to be a game-changer. In the tournament held in Dubai, India, led by Rohit Sharma, clinched the title last Sunday.
Chakravarthy was a standout performer, taking nine wickets in just three matches, the second-highest in the competition. In the final against New Zealand, he took 2 wickets for 45 runs, helping restrict them to 251/7, which India successfully chased down.
Known for his composed nature on the field, Chakravarthy recently revealed his humorous side on social media.
On Monday, in an Instagram post, Chakravarthy playfully criticized those who suggested India’s victory was easier because they played all matches in Dubai.
Chakravarthy captioned his post, ‘A lot of distance was travelled to get a taste of this Cup,’ adding winking emojis.
After the final, Chakravarthy described the campaign as a ‘dream come true’.
‘I didn’t anticipate it would go this well, it’s like a dream. There wasn’t much spin in the first innings, so I focused on being disciplined and sticking to the basics,’ Chakravarthy mentioned after the game.
Chakravarthy was among six Indian players featured in the ICC’s Team of the Tournament.
Virat Kohli was a prominent name among the six Indians selected in the 12-member ‘Team of the Tournament’ for the Champions Trophy.
Besides Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, wicketkeeper KL Rahul, Chakravarthy, and Mohammed Shami were in the playing eleven, with Axar Patel as the 12th man.
New Zealand had four players in the team, including Rachin Ravindra, who was named Player of the Tournament, and Mitchell Santner as captain.
Two players from Afghanistan also made the team after Afghanistan’s first-ever Champions Trophy match win in their debut.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma emphasized that each player in the Indian team understands their role and executes it effectively.
‘Every player in our team is well aware of their responsibilities and how to carry them out. When other teams watch us, I want them to see our resilience and belief – the mindset that we can win from any situation,’ he stated.
