Chakravarthy Gives India 'Good Headache' Ahead Of Champions Trophy Semis

Varun Chakravarthy CT 2025 (Image Source: Google)

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy on Sunday became a "good headache" for India ahead of their Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia after his match-winning five-wicket haul against New Zealand, said captain Rohit Sharma.

Mystery spinner Chakravarthy returned figures of 5-42 in Dubai to help India beat New Zealand in their last group match of the 50-over tournament.

His recent 14 wickets in a 4-1 T20 series win over England at home got Chakravarthy back into the India reckoning in the white-ball formats and he was a last-minute addition to the Champions Trophy squad.

After being left out for the first two games, Chakravarthy made the team in India's last group match and was named player of the match in just his second ODI after his debut against England last month.

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

"Varun has got something different, wanted to try and see what he had to offer," said Rohit. "We got to think a little about what to do for the next game, good headache."

Chakravarthy went wicketless in three matches in Dubai during the 2021 T20 World Cup, but put that disappointment behind him in style.

"The first spell of mine I was little nervous because the previous things, the emotions and all were playing whatever happened in the last three years before in this ground," the 33-year-old Chakravarthy told reporters.

"Where little bit it was playing with me and I was trying to keep it down, control it. But Virat (Kohli), Rohit (Sharma) and even Hardik (Pandya), they were telling (me to) calm down. That really helped."

Chakravarthy made his mark in the Indian Premier League for Kolkata Knight Riders, playing a key part in the team's title win last year.

A wily bowler with lot of variations up his sleeve, Chakravarthy gets the ball to spin both ways.

He also varies his pace to make life difficult for the opposition, a trait with which he bamboozled the New Zealand batsmen including Will Young, who he bowled for 22.

- Praise from Henry -

"It is the patience game," Chakravarthy said on bowling in ODIs.

"You just need to wait it out... on such slow wickets... the ball doesn't turn fast, it turns slow. So, you need to wait it out and it just happens, if it's your day it happens to you."

A late starter in professional cricket, Chakravarthy harboured other dreams before he took up the sport and made his international debut at nearly 30 years of age.

"After 26 is when I started dreaming about cricket," said Chakravarthy. "Before that, my dreams were all being an architect and making movies."

He added, "So, I've had different career paths. And all those things are happening. So yeah, it's been good right now."

New Zealand pace bowler Matt Henry also took 5-42, albeit in a losing cause.

"He bowled beautifully, didn't he?," Henry said of Chakravarthy.

"I think he showed his skill tonight, the way he turned the ball both ways, and even the way that he could bowl pace. I thought he was brilliant, and yeah, that they were able to put us under pressure right throughout."

New Zealand will take on Group B winners South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday and Henry said they are "excited" to face the best teams.