Varun Chakravarthy offers India ‘good headache’ forward of Champions Trophy semis

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy on Sunday turned a “good headache” for India forward of their Champions Trophy semi-final in opposition to Australia after his match-winning five-wicket haul in opposition to New Zealand, mentioned captain Rohit Sharma.

Thriller spinner Chakravarthy returned figures of 5-42 in Dubai to assist India beat New Zealand of their final group match of the 50-over match.

His latest 14 wickets in a 4-1 T20 series win over England at dwelling acquired Chakravarthy again into the India reckoning within the white-ball codecs and he was a last-minute addition to the Champions Trophy squad.

After being omitted for the primary two video games, Chakravarthy made the workforce in India’s final group match and was named participant of the match in simply his second ODI after his debut in opposition to England final month.

India face Australia within the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday.

“Varun has acquired one thing totally different, wished to try to see what he needed to supply,” mentioned Rohit. “We acquired to suppose just a little about what to do for the subsequent recreation, good headache.”Chakravarthy went wicketless in three matches in Dubai in the course of the 2021 T20 World Cup, however put that disappointment behind him in type.”The primary spell of mine I used to be little nervous as a result of the earlier issues, the feelings and all had been enjoying no matter occurred within the final three years earlier than on this floor,” the 33-year-old Chakravarthy advised reporters.

“The place little bit it was enjoying with me and I used to be attempting to maintain it down, management it. However Virat (Kohli), Rohit (Sharma) and even Hardik (Pandya), they had been telling (me to) relax. That actually helped.”

Chakravarthy made his mark within the Indian Premier League for Kolkata Knight Riders, enjoying a key half within the workforce’s title win final yr.

A wily bowler with lot of variations up his sleeve, Chakravarthy will get the ball to spin each methods.

He additionally varies his tempo to make life tough for the opposition, a trait with which he bamboozled the New Zealand batsmen together with Will Younger, who he bowled for 22.

Reward from Henry

“It’s the endurance recreation,” Chakravarthy mentioned on bowling in ODIs.

“You simply want to attend it out… on such sluggish wickets… the ball does not flip quick, it turns sluggish. So, you should wait it out and it simply occurs, if it is your day it occurs to you.”

A late starter in skilled cricket, Chakravarthy harboured different desires earlier than he took up the game and made his worldwide debut at practically 30 years of age.

“After 26 is once I began dreaming about cricket,” mentioned Chakravarthy. “Earlier than that, my desires had been all being an architect and making films.”

He added, “So, I’ve had totally different profession paths. And all these issues are taking place. So yeah, it has been good proper now.”

New Zealand tempo bowler Matt Henry additionally took 5-42, albeit in a dropping trigger.

“He bowled fantastically, did not he?,” Henry mentioned of Chakravarthy.

“I believe he confirmed his ability tonight, the best way he turned the ball each methods, and even the best way that he might bowl tempo. I assumed he was good, and yeah, that they had been capable of put us underneath stress proper all through.”

New Zealand will tackle Group B winners South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday and Henry mentioned they’re “excited” to face one of the best groups.