Team India enjoyed a memorable year in T20Is in 2025. They played 21 matches, winning 15 and losing only three. One match ended in a tie, while two produced no result. As a result, the Men in Blue finished the year with a win percentage of 71.42 in the T20I format.

India began the year with a dominant 4–1 series win against England at home and ended 2025 with a 3–1 home series victory over South Africa. Between these two series, they won the Asia Cup in the UAE without losing a single match, registering six wins and one tie. Team India also defeated Australia 2–1 in a rain-affected series in Australia.

Several Indian bowlers delivered outstanding performances in T20Is throughout the year. In this feature, we highlight the top five T20I performances by Indian bowlers in 2025.

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5. Varun Chakaravarthy (4–53) vs South Africa, Ahmedabad

Leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is in 2025. He played 20 matches and took 36 wickets at an average of 13.19 and an economy rate of 7.08. His figures of 4–53 came in India’s last T20I of the year against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India were defending 231 runs, and Varun’s four wickets helped them win the match by 30 runs.

Varun struck in his first over when Reeza Hendricks (13) was caught at midwicket. He conceded 23 runs in his second over to Dewald Brevis and Quinton de Kock but bounced back strongly. He dismissed Aiden Markram (6) and Donovan Ferreira (0) on consecutive balls and later removed George Linde (16) with a wrong’un.

4. Harshit Rana (3–33) vs England, Pune

Young fast bowler Harshit Rana played six T20Is in 2025 and took seven wickets. His best figures of 3–33 came on his debut against England in Pune. India won the fourth T20I of the series by 15 runs.

Defending a target of 181, Harshit made an impact as a concussion substitute. With his second ball, he dismissed Liam Livingstone (9), who edged to the wicketkeeper. Jacob Bethell (6) was next, miscuing an off-cutter to long-on. Harshit took his third wicket when Jamie Overton (19) edged a length delivery onto his stumps.

3. Arshdeep Singh (3–35) vs Australia, Hobart

Arshdeep Singh was India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, despite missing a few matches in 2025. When given the chance, he delivered strong performances. His spell of 3–35 against Australia in Hobart earned him the Player of the Match award.

India bowled first and restricted Australia to 186 for 6. Arshdeep struck in the opening over by dismissing Travis Head (6). He then removed Josh Inglis (1), who was caught at fine leg. His third wicket came when Marcus Stoinis (64) was caught at long-on. India chased down 187 runs and won by five wickets.

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2. Varun Chakaravarthy (5–24) vs England, Rajkot

Varun Chakaravarthy was the only Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is in 2025. He returned outstanding figures of 5–24 against England in Rajkot. Varun was named Player of the Match, even though India failed to chase a target of 172.

He began by dismissing Jos Buttler (24), who was caught behind. Jamie Smith (6) was caught at deep midwicket, while Jamie Overton (0) was bowled first ball by a quicker delivery. Varun then removed Brydon Carse (3) and Jofra Archer (0) to complete a memorable spell.

1. Kuldeep Yadav (4–30) vs Pakistan, Dubai

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav had an excellent year in T20Is. He played 10 matches and picked up 21 wickets at an average of 10.23 and an economy rate of 7.04. His standout performance came in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dubai, where he claimed figures of 4–30.

Bowling first, India restricted Pakistan to 146 runs. Kuldeep dismissed Saim Ayub (14), caught at backward point, and then removed Salman Agha (8). He trapped Shaheen Shah Afridi (0) lbw with a googly and completed his spell by having Faheem Ashraf (0) caught at long-off.

Team India enjoyed a strong year in ODIs in 2025. The Men in Blue played 14 matches, winning 11 and losing only three. They finished the year with an impressive win percentage of 78.57.

India began 2025 with a 3–0 ODI series win over England at home. They then remained unbeaten in the Champions Trophy held in the UAE. Later in the year, Team India lost the ODI series in Australia by 2–1. However, they ended the year on a positive note with a 2–1 home series win against South Africa.

Among the bowlers, young pacer Harshit Rana emerged as India’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs in 2025. In 11 matches, he took 20 wickets at an average of 25.55. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav finished second on the list, claiming 19 wickets in 11 games at an average of 29.

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Ravindra Jadeja took 12 wickets, while Mohammad Shami and Axar Patel picked up 11 wickets each to complete the top five list.

Indian bowlers delivered several match-winning performances in ODIs during 2025. In this feature, we take a look at the top five ODI bowling performances by Team India in the year.

1. Mohammad Shami (5-53) vs Bangladesh, Dubai

Veteran pacer Mohammad Shami played seven ODIs for Team India in 2025. He picked up 11 wickets at an average of 30.63 and an economy rate of 5.92. Nine of his wickets came in the Champions Trophy in Dubai.

Shami delivered an excellent spell of 5-53 from 10 overs against Bangladesh in the group-stage match. Bangladesh batted first after winning the toss, but Shami’s five-wicket haul restricted them to 228 runs.

He dismissed Soumya Sarkar in the first over, caught behind. He then removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5) at slip with a fine outswinger. Shami also picked up the wickets of Jaker Ali (68), Tanzim Hasan Sakib (0), and Taskin Ahmed (3). India chased the target comfortably, with Shubman Gill scoring an unbeaten 101 off 129 balls.

2. Prasidh Krishna (4-66) vs South Africa, Visakhapatnam

Team India pacer Prasidh Krishna had a challenging ODI season in 2025, especially in terms of economy rate. The right-arm fast bowler took eight wickets in four matches at an average of 31.37 and an economy rate of 7.72.

Prasidh’s best performance came in the deciding ODI against South Africa in Visakhapatnam, where he returned figures of 4-66. Although he conceded runs, he picked up key wickets.

India bowled first, and Prasidh trapped Matthew Breetzke (24) lbw. He then forced Aiden Markram (1) into a false shot before dismissing Quinton de Kock, who scored 106. South Africa were restricted to 270, which India chased down in 39.5 overs.

3. Harshit Rana (4-39) vs Australia, Sydney

Young pacer Harshit Rana faced criticism for inconsistent performances across formats. However, finishing 2025 as India’s leading ODI wicket-taker highlighted his impact.

Harshit starred with figures of 4-39 against Australia in Sydney, helping India avoid a 3-0 series whitewash. Australia opted to bat first, and Harshit struck early by dismissing Alex Carey (24), with a brilliant catch by Shreyas Iyer.

He then removed Mitchell Owen (1) at slip and later dismissed Cooper Connolly (23) and Josh Hazlewood (0). Australia were bowled out for 236, and India chased the target in 38.3 overs.

4. Kuldeep Yadav (3-40) vs Pakistan, Dubai

Kuldeep Yadav delivered several strong spells in ODIs in 2025. While he had four-wicket hauls against South Africa earlier in the year, his best effort came against Pakistan in Dubai during the Champions Trophy.

Kuldeep returned figures of 3-40 from nine overs. He dismissed Salman Agha (19), trapped Shaheen Shah Afridi lbw on the first ball, and removed Naseem Shah (14). Pakistan were restricted to 241 after looking set for a bigger total. India chased the target easily, led by a century from Virat Kohli.

5. Varun Chakaravarthy (5-42) vs New Zealand, Dubai

Varun Chakaravarthy impressed in limited ODI appearances in 2025. In four matches, he took 10 wickets at an average of 19 and an economy rate of 4.75.

His best performance came against New Zealand in Dubai, where he claimed 5-42. Chasing 250, New Zealand were bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs.

Chakaravarthy dismissed Will Young (22) with a googly, trapped Glenn Phillips (12) lbw, removed Michael Bracewell (2), and then picked up Mitchell Santner (28) and Matt Henry (2) to complete a match-winning spell.

The BCCI has unveiled India’s 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be played across India and Sri Lanka in February–March. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, despite a challenging year with the bat, thanks to his strong leadership record in T20Is.

The squad selection threw up a few talking points. Shubman Gill has been left out, while Ishan Kishan has earned a recall after a sensational Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign. Jitesh Sharma has also made way for finisher Rinku Singh.

Interestingly, five members of the 2026 squad were also part of India’s disappointing 2021 T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE. Here’s a closer look at those players and how their journeys have evolved since then.

1. Ishan Kishan

Many fans may have forgotten that Ishan Kishan was part of India’s 2021 T20 World Cup squad. He played just one match during that campaign and was dismissed for four against New Zealand in Dubai, falling to Trent Boult while opening the innings.

Fast forward to 2025–26, and Kishan has forced his way back with sheer weight of runs. He finished as the leading run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, smashing 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44 and a staggering strike rate of 197.32, including two centuries. One of those hundreds came in the final, underlining his big-match temperament. With the 2026 World Cup at home, Kishan will be eager to rewrite his T20 World Cup story.

2. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav was still finding his feet in international cricket when he played his first T20 World Cup in 2021. Having debuted earlier that year, he featured in four matches and scored 42 runs across three innings, showing glimpses of his flair but without a defining knock.

Now India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar enters the 2026 event under pressure after a lean run in 2025, where he managed just 218 runs in 19 innings. Despite the dip in form, his leadership credentials and past match-winning ability remain key reasons for the selectors backing him.

3. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya was a member of the 2021 squad but was not at full fitness during the tournament. He played all five matches, scoring 69 runs at a strike rate of 153.33, including a blistering unbeaten 35 off 13 balls against Afghanistan. However, he bowled only two overs in the entire competition due to fitness concerns.

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Since then, Pandya has re-established himself as one of India’s most important all-rounders. A vital cog in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, he heads into the 2026 edition in good rhythm and will be crucial for balance and finishing power.

4. Jasprit Bumrah

Even in India’s disappointing 2021 campaign, Jasprit Bumrah stood out. The pace spearhead picked up seven wickets in five matches at an average of 13.57 and an economy of just 5.08, delivering consistently with the new ball and at the death.

Bumrah’s stature has only grown since then. He was named Player of the Tournament in India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup, claiming 15 wickets at a remarkable average of 8.26. Once again, he will be India’s biggest weapon with the ball in 2026.

5. Varun Chakaravarthy

Varun Chakaravarthy’s 2021 T20 World Cup was one to forget. He went wicketless in three matches and conceded 71 runs in 11 overs, after which he was dropped from the national setup.

The mystery spinner, however, has scripted an impressive comeback. Strong IPL performances paved the way for his return to the T20I side, and he recently starred as Player of the Series against South Africa, taking 10 wickets in four matches. From being a 2021 setback, Chakaravarthy now shapes up as a genuine X-factor for India in 2026.

The mystery spinner of the Indian cricket team, Varun Chakravarthy, has been excellent with the ball during the first couple of T20Is of the five-match series against South Africa at home. He leaked only six runs in the first two overs at an economy rate of three, which built the pressure on the batters. 

On the third ball of the 14th over of the first innings, Donovan Ferreira went for a massive slog sweep to the full-length delivery as the batter backed himself to nail this over the mid-wicket region. He swung his willow and left nothing in the tank, but ended up missing the ball completely to lose the leg stump, and got dismissed for 20 runs in 15 balls.

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On the opening ball of the 16th over, Marco Jansen tried to defend the fullish delivery as he didn’t have a clue to the spin on that one and thought it would go away, but it came in to sneak through the gate. Jansen returned to the pavilion for two runs as the Proteas were restricted to 77/7.

Varun Chakravarthy dismisses Marco Jansen and Donovan Ferreira

It was the third time Jansen was dismissed by Chakravarthy in the shortest format in five innings, making 18 runs in nine deliveries. The Tamil Nadu spinner found this place at the fourth place in the list of 50 wickets in T20Is with the fewest deliveries among the full member nations. He bowled 672 balls for the mark, as Ajantha Mendis had 600 balls.

Watch the video here: 

#IndvsSA pic.twitter.com/oBS4dycniR

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) December 14, 2025

For India, Varun became the second fastest for 50 T20I wickets in 32 matches, while the left-arm wrist spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, got to the record in 30 matches. South Africa never got going with the bat in the game and kept losing wickets.

The Proteas finished the first innings for 117 runs, getting bundled out in 20 overs. Chakravarthy finished with 2/11 while Kuldeep ended with 2/12 in two overs. Everyone, getting a ball in the innings, was awarded at least one wicket, which was a pleasing all-round performance.

After a rare expensive over from Jasprit Bumrah, captain Surykumar Yadav brought in his mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy came and cleaned up one of the South African openers, Reeza Hendricks, immediately, bowling him out on the first ball of his spell in the second T20I match of the ongoing India vs. South Africa series (IND vs SA 2nd T20I). 

After winning the toss, Suryakumar Yadav invited South Africa to bat first at PCA New Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The pitch was good for batting during the powerplay; the length of the boundary is not big, so Quinton de Kock, the experienced SA opener, tried to utilize most of it. He was looking in good rhythm, but on the other side, his opening partner, Hendricks, was starving for runs.

For the fourth over, Bumrah came to deliver his second over and opened it with a high full toss to the right-handed opener. On the third delivery, Hendricks hoisted a 141.9 kph delivery for a massive six over the deep square leg. Quinton also hammered a six in the same over. The second over of Bumrah's spell concluded with 16 runs. 

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Watch how Varun Chakravarthy bowled out Reeza Hendricks: 

VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY CONTINUES TO SHOWCASE HIS CLASS. pic.twitter.com/s0JJC8JNRF

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 11, 2025

After that, Yadav took Varun into the attack, which proved instantly effective as he hit the timbers of Reeza Hendricks. He went to play a cut short but missed every inch of the ball and lost the wicket. South Africa is down by one man for 38 runs in 4.1 overs. 

On the very first ball of his spell, the Indian spinner delivered a googly, slightly short on length. The ball skids through to sneak under the blade and crashes into the stumps. Reeza falls for 8 (10).

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.