Ravichandran Ashwin wants India not to ‘overexpose’ mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in the upcoming T20I rubbers against South Africa and New Zealand. Instead, he has suggested the Indian management
‘saves’ him by not playing him in all the matches and keeps his mystery shrouded till the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Chakaravarthy made his T20 return under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching and has since been in immaculate form for the country. This year, he has 26 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 13.96
“We shouldn’t overexpose Varun Chakaravarthy,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat, on the eve of the first T20I between India and South Africa in Cuttack. “We shouldn’t do that. One should save him. We will be playing against South Africa and New Zealand, and we can possibly play against these teams in the T20 World Cup. Varun’s mystery is a big factor. He has been playing for many years, but he’s still able to hold his own,” he added.
“But exposing both Kuldeep and Varun in large quantities is something I’ll refrain from. I think eventually they have to play together in the World Cup, but not overexposing the mystery of Varun, because these teams can face us in the knockouts of the T20 World Cup,” Ashwin said.
After a couple of years of lull after the 2021 T20 World Cup, Chakaravarthy has evolved from being simply a mystery bowler with a lot of variations to someone who can also hold an end in T20 cricket with quicker speeds and tougher lengths.
“Don’t give them enough time to figure him out. The more they play against him, they will also have a chance of figuring it out. Mystery should remain mystery,” he added.
India will play New Zealand in five T20Is in January. The World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will begin in February.
