Former India and Chennai Super Kings player Subramaniam Badrinath has sparked quite a debate in the cricketing fraternity with his recent assertion that mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy is more valuable than Jasprit Bumrah in T20 Internationals. He made these comments following India's victory in the five-match T20I series against Australia, where India won 2-1.

Badrinath applauded Chakravarthy's ability to deliver consistently and efficiently and pointed out how the spinner has become India's go-to weapon anywhere in the innings. The Tamil Nadu bowler took five wickets in three innings, making him India’s leading wicket-taker in the series. In comparison, Bumrah took three wickets but held a slightly better economy of 6.58 versus Chakravarthy's economy of 6.83 over the same matches.

The former CSK player observed that Chakravarthy’s comeback to the national squad after being released previously on fitness grounds is impressive. “Varun has reached another level. The numbers are telling us he is now the No. 1 T20 bowler. He can bowl in the powerplay, middle overs, or even the 18th over—that is his worth. He is India’s biggest asset in this format,” Badrinath said on Star Sports, as quoted by India Today.

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Varun is India’s secret weapon, says Badrinath

Badrinath continued to heap praise on the subject of Varun Chakravarthy, as he could be India’s ace up its sleeve in the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be held in India. Badrinath thinks that mysterious spin and the ability to bowl under pressure make Chakravarthy an important part of India’s T20 setup.

“Varun is a huge asset to India, a weapon. If he has a good day, India has a good day,” claimed Badrinath. Jasprit Bumrah will next be in action in a Test series against South Africa starting November 14, while Chakravarthy is set to play in the T20Is against the Proteas in December.

The former Indian opening batter, Kris Srikkanth, lauded the spinner of the Blue Brigade, Varun Chakravarthy, for another brilliant spell of bowling during the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia down under. During the fourth fixture in Gold Coast, the mystery spinner finished with 1/26 in four overs with the massive wicket of Glenn Maxwell. 

Srikkanth specifically pointed out the struggling battle of Maxwell, who was shaking in his boots at the thought of facing the Tamil Nadu spinner. The latter dismissed the Australia all-rounder for a record fifth time in T20s in just 33 deliveries as the right-handed batter gave himself room but couldn’t get it on the blade.

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“Glenn Maxwell shakes in his boots whenever Varun Chakaravarthy comes on to bowl. Varun picks up certain batters like a rabbit. Especially when he sees Maxwell, he gobbles him up like a piece of cake. The T20 World Cup is around the corner. So he doesn't have much time. He has to regain his form and get used to the No. 3 position.” Srikkanth expressed during a video on his YouTube channel.

Kris Srikkanth roasts Glenn Maxwell’s battle against Varun Chakravarthy during AUS vs IND 4th T20I  

India posted 167/8 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to small contributions from several batters in the line-up. In reply, the hosts were bundled out for just 119 runs as the three spinners- Varun, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar shared a combined figures of 6/42 in 9.2 overs.

“You cannot keep on shifting and rotating the order. There has to be a set order with the limited time before the World Cup. They escaped today, and the trial-and-error philosophy is fine for now. But at some point, there has to be a conclusion. Maybe from the South Africa series, as it's in India.” The former Indian opener reckoned.

“What I don't understand is that he is playing as a spin-bowling all-rounder. He is a spinner who can bat and not a batter who bowls spin. He first came into the Indian side for his spin-bowling, but only with his opening spells for Pune in the IPL. That's how Washington Sundar came into prominence.” Srikkanth reflected after the fourth T20I.

India faced a nightmare with the bat during the second T20I of the five-match series against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after the opening game was washed out due to rain at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. They kept losing wickets regularly inside the power play and could never settle for a decent score on the board in the first innings.

Apart from Abhishek Sharma, who scored 68 runs in 37 balls at a strike rate of 183.78 with the help of eight boundaries and a couple of sixes, and Harshit Rana, who clubbed 35 runs in 33 balls with the help of three boundaries and one six at a strike rate of 106.06, none of the batters in the line-up crossed the double dight mark. India got bundled out for 125 runs in 18.4 overs.

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With the ball, India couldn’t make a good start as their pacers, Rana and Jasprit Bumrah, were off the radar before Varun Chakravarthy came to draw the first blood with the wicket of Travis Head, who smashed 46 runs in 26 balls at a strike rate of 176.92.

Watch: Varun Chakravarthy draws first blood with Travis Head’s wicket in AUS vs IND 2nd T20I

On the third ball of the fifth over, Varun went short and away from Head, who made room and lofted the length delivery over the bowler’s head. He looked to clear the man at the long-off region, but didn’t have the full power on the shot as Varma made the right adjustment to grab the catch and send the batter back for 28 runs.

#TravisHead looked to go big, but @TilakV9's sharp footwork and quick thinking at long-off made sure he didn’t! 🔥

A brilliant catch that perfectly sums up India’s energy in the field tonight! 🇮🇳🙌#AUSvIND 👉 2nd T20I | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/mq9j8bivd0 pic.twitter.com/gQDcNbxHBh

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 31, 2025

With two fours and as many sixes, Mitchell Marsh collected 20 runs off the first five balls of Kuldeep Yadav’s opening over before getting dismissed for 46 runs. Varun came back to pocket the wicket of Tim David.

But at 104/3 in 10 overs, with just 22 runs required at the halfway mark, the home side was well and truly in the chase. India needed something miraculous to turn the tables from that position.

Kolkata Knight Rider's (KKR) interest in Sanju Samson was a heavily discussed topic a few days before, which may have slowed down gradually. It was learned that for Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals (RR) wished to trade multiple star players of KKR ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026).

Now, in a fresh claim on a social media platform, it is revealed against which KKR players RR was in the attempt to release Sanju Samson. According to reports, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine were on the Rajasthan Royals' wishlist, which KKR perhaps did not agree to settle down with.

If the reports are to be believed, it makes sense why the multi-time IPL-winning franchise did not want to trade Samson for Varun or Sunil. It is further stated that the Rajasthan-based franchise is trying to bolster their spin bowling department; that's why they wanted to secure the services of those two prolific spinners. 

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KKR to release Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of IPL 2026?

After a season with Punjab Kings, Chakravarthy joined KKR during the IPL 2020-21 season. Since then, the spinner has been with the Purple Brigade, and over the years of hard work, he established himself as one of the most effective spinners in the limited-overs cricket. Last season, when KKR as a team struggled to perform on the field, Varun claimed 17 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 7.66. He was successful against the Rajasthan Royals as well. 

If we now talk about Sunil Narine, he is one of the pillars of the KKR team. Since the 2012 edition of the IPL, he has been associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Outside India, the West Indian spinner contributed to other Knight Riders franchises as well. At the age of 37, it is unlikely to see Narine leaving KKR for another IPL franchise. 

India came into the T20 Asia Cup 2025 with lots of expectations due to their incredible performance with the bat and ball in the shortest format for the last six months, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav. They continued the same trend and lifted the title by beating Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

However, during the trophy presentation ceremony, India was not keen to receive the title from the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, due to the recent relationship between the two sides. Naqvi, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), stood there for an hour before escaping with the trophy. That led to the Indian players celebrating with an invisible trophy in the photoshoot.

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“The only cup next to me was the coffee cup.” The premier mystery spinner of the Blue Brigade, Varun Chakravarthy, recalled the photo he posted on social media after the end of the encounter. He was decent with the ball in the campaign and finished with seven wickets in six innings at an average of just over 20.

Watch: Sanju Samson reveals dressing room’s environment to invisible Asia Cup 2025 trophy celebration

Sanju Samson expressed that there was a strange situation when Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana, and others posted photos without the trophies, but they acted as if they were holding them in their hands. Samson also revealed that it was exactly the plan they had in their mind before the final.

 

 

 

 

 

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“It was a bit strange, but we actually had a very positive environment in our dressing room. Even if we don’t have anything, we have to celebrate with that trophy not in our hands. So, that’s what we did.” Samson, who smashed 132 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 124.53 in the event, informed.

India beat Pakistan three times in three successive Sundays in the event. They were under a little pressure in the final, chasing 150 runs, before Tilak Verma smashed a fine, unbeaten knock of 69 runs in 53 balls at a strike rate of 130.19 with the help of three boundaries and four sixes.

The CEAT Cricket Awards were held in Mumbai on October 7 as the 27th season of the show saw many big names present, including the former and current players of various countries. The veteran Indian batter, Rohit Sharma, under whom India won the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy 2025, captured the headlines after he was presented with a special memento. 

The former West Indies captain, Brian Lara, was awarded the lifetime achievement, and the former Indian spinner, B.S. Chandrasekhar, was given the same award as well. The former England captain, Joe Root, won the international cricketer of the year award, while Sanju Samson topped Abhishek Sharma and Tilka Verma for T20I batter of the year.

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Rohit has recently lost his ODI captaincy for the upcoming three-match 50-over series against Australia down under, which is going to begin on October 19 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

Full list of CEAT Cricket Awards 2025 winners including Rohit Sharma

The BCCI announced Shubman Gill as the new leader of the ODI side after he also became the red-ball captain of the Blue Brigade during their previous Test trip against England in the United Kingdom. Temba Bavuma won the Exemplary Leadership for winning the WTC 2023-25.

Virat Kohli and Rohit will be back in competitive cricket since the end of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), while they will play for India for the first time since February this year.

CEAT Cricket Awards 2025 winners list-

India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy returned to the playing XI for the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours clash against Pakistan on Sunday, September 21, at the Dubai International Stadium. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and decided to bowl first in the high-pressure contest.

Chakaravarthy has quietly built a reputation for delivering in big games. The 34-year-old made a fine start to his Asia Cup campaign with a tight spell against the UAE, conceding just four runs in two overs while picking up a wicket. He was equally impressive against Pakistan in the group stage, finishing with figures of 4-0-24-1, troubling their middle order with his variations.

Despite his strong showings, the spinner was rested for India’s final group match against Oman, which was a dead rubber. The team management instead tested their bench strength by handing opportunities to pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Both bowlers did reasonably well, but with the stakes higher in the Super Fours, India reverted to their first-choice attack.

Bumrah and Chakaravarthy return as India bank on experience for high-stakes clash against Pakistan

At the toss, Suryakumar confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy would come back into the side, replacing Arshdeep and Harshit. The captain emphasized that the team had been treating every game as a knockout since the start of the tournament and wanted the best combination on the field.

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India have looked dominant so far, winning all three of their group-stage fixtures. Their bowling unit, now reinforced with Bumrah’s pace and Chakaravarthy’s mystery spin, looks balanced and dangerous. Pakistan, meanwhile, will rely heavily on their top order to counter India’s strong attack, knowing that Chakaravarthy can be particularly hard to read on Dubai’s surfaces.

This clash not only brings together two arch-rivals but also serves as a test of India’s decision to back experience in key matches. Fans will be eager to see if Chakaravarthy can once again deliver under pressure and strengthen India’s unbeaten run in the tournament.

IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 Playing XIs

Pakistan (PAK): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India (IND): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

Varun Chakaravarthy, India’s mystery leg-spinner, has achieved a career milestone by rising to the top of the ICC Men’s T20I bowling rankings. He delivered impactful spells in the Asia Cup 2025, showcasing his consistency and accuracy. Against UAE, he produced remarkable figures of 1 for 4 in two overs, followed by a disciplined 1 for 24 in four overs against Pakistan.

His sharp performances have not only helped India dominate but also earned him recognition as the new No. 1 T20I bowler in the world. With this, Chakaravarthy becomes only the third Indian to reach the top spot in the ICC rankings, following Jasprit Bumrah and fellow leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.

Chakaravarthy overtook New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy, who had been holding the No. 1 position since March. His rise underlines India’s growing bowling strength in the shortest format and highlights his role as a key weapon in T20 cricket.

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Varun Chakaravarthy vs Wanindu Hasaranga – Statistical Comparison:

Since returning to international cricket last October, the Tamil Nadu leg-spinner has impressed with consistent performances, playing 20 T20Is. Following his rise to the No.1 spot in T20I rankings, here’s a look at how his numbers stack up against Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga’s stats at a similar point in his career.

• Varun Chakaravarthy vs Wanindu Hasaranga – Comparing wickets and averages after 20 T20Is

In his first 20 T20Is, Varun Chakaravarthy has taken 35 wickets at an impressive average of 14.54. His best success has come against England, claiming 14 wickets in five matches at just 9.85. He has also troubled South Africa, picking up 12 scalps in four games at 11.50, along with five wickets in three outings against Bangladesh at 14.60.

Wanindu Hasaranga, at the same stage, had 28 wickets at an average of 15.64. He was most effective against West Indies, bagging nine wickets in five games at 8.33, while against Pakistan, he struck eight times in three matches at 9.87. Additionally, he managed five wickets in four games against India and four in three against New Zealand.

• Varun Chakaravarthy vs Wanindu Hasaranga – Which spinner maintained lower economy after 20 T20Is?

In his first 20 T20I outings, Varun Chakaravarthy maintained an economy rate of 6.83. Against England, he conceded at 7.66 across five matches, while against South Africa, he went for 8.62 in four games. He was far more economical against Sri Lanka, giving away runs at just 5.30 in three innings, and against Pakistan, he registered 7.12 across two matches.

By comparison, Wanindu Hasaranga recorded a slightly better economy of 6.77 after his initial 20 T20Is. Against England, he bowled with an economy of 6.72 across three games, while against India, it was 7.08 in four outings. He also managed 6.72 against New Zealand and 6.58 against Pakistan, both in three matches each.

• Varun Chakaravarthy vs Wanindu Hasaranga – Five-Wicket Hauls After 20 T20Is

After 20 T20Is, Varun Chakaravarthy has already achieved two five-wicket hauls. His standout spells include 5-17 against South Africa at Gqeberha in November 2024 and 5-24 versus England in Rajkot in January 2025. Alongside these, he also picked up 3-25 against South Africa in Durban and 3-23 against England in Kolkata, underlining his consistency against top teams.

Wanindu Hasaranga, on the other hand, did not record any four or five-wicket hauls in his first 20 T20Is. His best bowling figures during this phase were 3-12 against West Indies at Coolidge in March 2021. He also produced notable performances of 3-17 in the same series and 3-21 and 3-38 against Pakistan in Lahore in October 2019.

• Varun Chakaravarthy vs Wanindu Hasaranga – Better Match-Winning Record After 20 T20Is?

Varun Chakaravarthy has played in 14 T20I victories for India. In these wins, he picked up 24 wickets at an average of 15.79 and maintained an economy rate of 7.43, with his best figures being 3-23. Interestingly, both of his five-wicket hauls came in matches that India lost. In the six defeats, Chakaravarthy still managed 11 wickets at an average of 11.81 and an economy of 5.53.

In contrast, Wanindu Hasaranga featured in only five wins out of his first 20 T20Is for Sri Lanka. During those victories, he took 12 wickets at an average of 9.00 and an economy rate of 5.68, with best figures of 3-17. In 14 losses, Hasaranga claimed 16 wickets, and one match ended with no result.

Leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy made a strong return to international cricket last year after being out of the Indian team for almost three years. Since his comeback, the 34-year-old has been very good with the ball. He is expected to play an important role for Team India in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

After some good shows in the IPL, Chakaravarthy made his international debut in a T20I series against Sri Lanka in July 2021. He was also picked for the T20 World Cup in the UAE the same year, but he could not make an impact. He went wicketless in the ICC event and was dropped from the team.

His steady performances for KKR in the IPL helped him earn another chance during the home series against Bangladesh in October last year. Since then, he has not looked back. Chakaravarthy has played 19 T20Is so far. In this piece, we compare his stats with those of another Indian leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, after 19 T20Is.

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Varun Chakaravarthy vs Yuzvendra Chahal – Who Has More Wickets After 19 T20Is?

After 19 T20Is, Varun Chakaravarthy has taken 34 wickets at an average of 14.26. Out of these, 14 wickets came in five matches against England at an average of 9.85. He also picked up 12 wickets in four matches against South Africa at an average of 11.50 and five wickets in three matches against Bangladesh at an average of 14.60.

After 19 T20Is, Yuzvendra Chahal had 31 wickets at an average of 19.58. Of these, 14 came in five matches against Sri Lanka at an average of 13.50 and eight in three T20Is against England at an average of 10.62. He also claimed three wickets in three matches against New Zealand (average 23.33) and three in three T20Is against Zimbabwe (average 29.66).

Varun Chakaravarthy vs Yuzvendra Chahal – Economy Rate and Five-Wicket Hauls

Chakaravarthy’s economy rate after 19 T20Is is 6.87. Against England, he has an economy of 7.66 in five innings, while against South Africa it is 8.62 in four innings. He has been more economical against Sri Lanka (5.30 in three innings) and Bangladesh (6.08 in three innings).

Chahal’s economy rate after 19 T20Is was 8.25. He had an economy of 7.00 in three innings against New Zealand and 7.41 in three innings against Zimbabwe. Against Australia, his economy was 6.93 in two innings, but it went up to 12.87 in two innings against South Africa.

In terms of five-fers, Chakaravarthy has two. His best of 5-17 came against South Africa in Gqeberha in November 2024. He also took 5-24 against England in Rajkot in January 2025. Both performances, however, came in losing causes.

Chahal had one five-fer and two four-fers after 19 T20Is. His best of 6-25 was against England in Bengaluru in February 2017. He also took 4-23 against Sri Lanka in Cuttack and 4-52 in Indore during the same series.

Quick Stats Table

Varun Chakaravarthy vs Yuzvendra Chahal – Records in Winning Matches

Chakaravarthy has played 13 winning matches for India out of his 19 T20Is. In those games, he has taken 23 wickets at an average of 15.43 and an economy of 7.55, with a best of 3-23. In the six games India lost, he still did well, taking 11 wickets at an average of 11.81.

Chahal also played 13 winning matches in his first 19 T20Is. He picked up 25 wickets in those games at an average of 15.04 and an economy of 7.52, with a best of 6-25. In the six games India lost, his numbers were weaker – six wickets at an average of 38.50 and an economy of 9.82.

After a month-long break, Team India will resume international cricket with their Asia Cup 2025 opener against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10. The Men in Blue enter the tournament on a remarkable run in T20Is, having clinched five consecutive bilateral series and winning 17 of their last 20 matches. 

Their dominant form also includes a flawless campaign at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, where they lifted the trophy unbeaten. Heading into the Asia Cup, India is once again seen as firm favorites, but that doesn’t mean the side is free from selection dilemmas. 

Suryakumar Yadav and the team management face some tricky choices when it comes to finalizing the playing XI, given the balance between bat and ball. The 15-member squad provides multiple combinations, especially in the bowling department. The challenge lies in maintaining batting strength while ensuring the bowling attack remains effective across conditions.

See Also: 'What Is the Need to Play Bumrah?' – Former Indian cricketer questions selection for Asia Cup 2025 clash against UAE

Probable Reasons why India shall go for Spin Duo Kulddep- Varun Together?

India enters the Asia Cup 2025 with a strong bowling unit featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav. However, none of these four bowlers are reliable lower-order hitters, which could leave the side exposed with a long tail. This concern may force the management to rotate one of them out of the XI depending on match conditions.

Despite that, the spin twins Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy remain crucial to India’s campaign. Their ability to trouble batters on slower, gripping tracks in the UAE gives them a tactical edge. Playing both spinners together will not only boost wicket-taking options in the middle overs but also add variety to the attack.

• India holds the blueprint to balance strengths perfectly in the Asia Cup

India doesn’t have to look far to realize the value of pairing Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. During the Champions Trophy 2025 in ODIs, the Men in Blue relied on both spinners in their final three matches, showcasing how effective the duo can be when included together in the playing XI.

The Champions Trophy 2025, held in the UAE, offered India a clear example of how effective their spin attack can be. In that tournament, the Men in Blue won all three of their final matches with ease, as Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy combined to pick up 13 wickets together, dominating opposition line-ups.

Another highlight was India’s balanced team composition. Despite including both spinners, they managed to extend their batting till No. 8 by playing only one specialist fast bowler, while Hardik Pandya filled in as the second seam option. This approach provided both depth in batting and strength in spin, a strategy that could be replicated in the UAE’s spin-friendly conditions during the Asia Cup 2025.

• Dropping either Kuldeep or Varun may weaken India’s middle-over threat

India’s bowling unit may look balanced on paper, but dropping either Varun Chakaravarthy or Kuldeep Yadav could upset that balance. Without one of them, the Men in Blue would rely on just three frontline bowlers, supplemented by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, which risks weakening their overall bowling depth.

With Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh excelling with the new ball and in death overs, India will likely prefer using the pair mainly at those stages of the innings. Their strength lies in early breakthroughs and closing matches effectively.

This approach, however, shifts greater responsibility onto the middle overs. The bulk of this phase could fall on either Varun Chakaravarthy or Kuldeep Yadav, supported by Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube. While Axar and Hardik provide stability with their economical spells, they are better suited to containing runs rather than consistently striking, making a specialist spinner’s role critical.

India’s success in the Champions Trophy was largely built on their ability to pick wickets consistently during the middle overs. Without that breakthrough power, set batters could dominate later stages. Playing both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy enhances India’s bowling depth, keeping pressure on opponents across all phases and increasing the team’s chances of repeating past Asia Cup successes with a well-rounded attack.

• Varun and Kuldeep’s form boosts balance and impact for India

Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy currently stand among the finest white-ball spinners in world cricket. Since his comeback to the national side last year, Varun has consistently impressed, establishing himself as the top-performing T20I bowler globally.

Varun Chakaravarthy has been in sensational form, claiming 31 wickets in just 12 T20Is at an impressive average of 11.25 and an economy of 7.85. His consistency makes him a proven match-winner.

Conversely, Kuldeep Yadav was instrumental in India’s flawless 2024 T20 World Cup run, claiming 10 wickets across five games at an impressive average of 13.90, while maintaining an economy below seven. Even without recent T20Is, his ODI and IPL performances underline his continued white-ball excellence.

Fielding both spinners together gives India flexibility and unpredictability. With Kuldeep dominating the middle overs, Varun’s versatility to bowl at different stages could help India dismantle key partnerships in the Asia Cup 2025.