IND vs NZ, Champions Trophy 2025: Fans hail Varun Chakravarthy for his match-winning spell in a crucial clash

Varun Chakravarthy registered figures 5/42 at an economy rate of 4.2 in 10 overs in a crucial Champions Trophy 2025 clash against New Zealand in Dubai.

Team India mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy played a pivotal role in India’s crucial win against New Zealand in the final group stage clash of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 2.

Team India finished the group stage on top of the Group A points table with a 44-run win over New Zealand. Varun Chakravarthy was one of the star performers alongside Shreyas Iyer (79), Hardik Pandya (45), and Axar Patel (42) in the Men in Blue’s crucial clash that decided their final standings in the group stage before the semifinal round.

Varun Chakravarthy made his Champions Trophy debut by replacing Harshit Rana. Many raised questions about the Tamil Nadu spinner’s inclusion in the playing XI when Arshdeep Singh did not get a single game in the marquee event. However, the 31-year-old put in an impactful performance with the ball. He picked his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI career, coming at a time when India needed wickets to break New Zealand’s resistance in their 250-run chase. 

Varun Chakravarthy picked up the wickets of Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, and Matt Henry to register figures 5/42 at an economy rate of 4.2 in 10 overs. He picked a crucial wicket of Santner as the New Zealand skipper was anchoring the team’s run-chase. Chakravarthy’s bowling brilliance helped India bowl out New Zealand for 205 in 45.3 overs despite a resilient 81 off 120 balls by Kane Williamson. 

Varun Chakravarthy's brilliant performance with the ball received praise from Indian cricket fans, who took to X handle (formerly Twitter) to hail his match-winning spell. The netizens lauded the mystery spinner for delivering consistent performances ever since making his return to Team India after a gap of three in the T20I series against Bangladesh. 

Here’s how netizens reacted to Varun Chakravarthy’s performance

Varun Chakravarthy was not part of India’s preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. However, the spinner was included in the 15-member squad by replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal. He was selected to India squad on the back of his brilliant performance in the T20I series against England, where he was the highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets, including a fifer, at an average of 9.86 in five matches. He played an ODI against England ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. 

Ever since his return to Team India after three years, Varun Chakravarthy picked 37 wickets, including three fifers, at an average of 12.02 in 17 matches across two formats of the game. 

‘I was nervous’: Varun Chakarvarthy

Reflecting on his brilliant performance against New Zealand, Varun Chakravarthy admitted that he felt nervous as he did not play any ODI matches for Team India at an ICC tournament. The spinner added that he got to know about his inclusion in the playing XI a night before the match. 

“First of all I did feel nervous in the initial stages. I have not played many matches for India in the ODI format but as the game went on I felt better. Virat, Rohit, Shreyas and Hardik were talking to me and that helped.” 

“(On when he knew he was playing this game) I found out last night. I was definitely expecting to play for the country but on the other side I was nervous. It was not a rank turner, but if you bowled in the right places it was giving help. The way Kuldeep, Jaddu and Axar bowled, even the pace bowlers, it was a total team effort.” he added. 

Meanwhile, India will face Australia in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on March 4, Tuesday.