As the deadline approached to make the final squad changes for the upcoming Champions Trophy, India controversially dropped top-order batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, adding another spin bowler, Varun Chakaravarthy. The inclusion of Chakaravarthy took the number of spinners in India’s 15-member squad to five-a sign of the team management’s expectations on the role of the tweakers in Dubai, the venue where India will play all their Champions Trophy matches in the Hybrid Model.
Chakaravarthy, with his 18 T20Is for India, has been in good form of late, walking away with the player-of-the-series award as India defeated England 4-1 in a five-match series earlier this month.
He did make his ODI debut against England in Cuttack and returned with figures of 1-54 off 10 overs, but missed out on the 3rd ODI with a sore right calf.
India head coach Gautam Gambir explained the rationale of Chakravarthy’s selection. “The only reason was because we wanted another wicket-taking option in the middle. And we know what Varun Chakravarthy brings to the table,” Gambhir said.
“We know Varun can be a massive threat, and a lot of teams have not played him, and he could be an X-factor as well. I’m not going to say that he’ll start and all that stuff, but it’s always nice to have a strong bowling line-up”.
“Because we know if he does get those wickets in the middle, it will always be an advantage, and that was one of the reasons. Otherwise, we know that Yashasvi has got a fabulous future ahead; it’s just that we could only pick 15,” Gambhir added.
Just like Chakaravarthy, Jaiswal also made his ODI debut during the England series, scoring just 22 runs in Nagpur before he being parked on the bench.
India will face Bangladesh in its opening match of the Champions Trophy on February 20.
