India and New Zealand are set for the third T20I of the five-match series at Guwahati, where the hosts India are leading by 2–0, and with another victory, they will secure the series. In this third T20I, Indian bowlers Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh aren't present in the playing XI. 

In the Guwahati T20I on Sunday evening (January 25), the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav chose to field first after winning the toss. At that toss, he revealed that they made two changes, as Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi are in the playing XI as the replacements for Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh.

See Also: IND vs NZ, 3rd T20: Toss Update and Playing XI

Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh are crucial names in Indian T20I bowling 

Both the leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy and the left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh are very crucial names in the Indian T20I bowling line-up. While Varun is the no.1-ranked T20I bowler at present, Arshdeep is the leading T20I wicket-taker for Men in Blues. 

Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh rested for Guwahati T20I

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is very near, as India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the tournament from February 7 to March 8, 2026. However, there is no new injury report in the Indian team. The absence of Varun and Arshdeep from the Guwahati T20I is only the Indian team management's players resting and workload management strategy, as the Indian captain clarified in the toss. Indian skipper confirmed that both players are resting for the game, while both played the first two games of the series, which India won by 48 runs and seven wickets.  

In the previous game, which was the second match of the series, Jasprit Bumrah was rested while Axar Patel was the for change due to his injury. Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav replaced them for that Raipur T20I. 

In recent times, visiting spinners have done better than Indian spinners at home across all formats. This growing trend has become a major concern for India. The second ODI between India and New Zealand clearly showed this problem.

New Zealand’s spinners, Michael Bracewell and debutant Jayden Lennox, outperformed India’s bowlers and played a big role in winning the match. Bowling at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, the pair kept things tight during the middle overs and returned figures of 2 for 76 from 20 overs.

On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav leaked more runs than the two New Zealand spinners combined, even after completing his full spell. It turned out to be one of his most expensive outings in ODI cricket. Ravindra Jadeja also had a difficult day, as he failed to take a wicket and gave away 44 runs in eight overs.

Batters Daryl Mitchell and Will Young handled the Indian spin attack with ease. They rotated strike comfortably and found boundaries regularly, building a strong partnership and taking control of the middle phase of the innings.

Keeping this in mind, here are three reasons why Varun Chakaravarthy deserves a return to India’s ODI side.

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1. India needs a strong wicket-taking bowler in the middle overs

India has always been known as a dangerous bowling team in the middle overs, mainly because of their spinners. In the past, Indian spinners created pressure, stopped runs, and took wickets regularly. However, in recent times, this has not happened often.

Kuldeep Yadav has played a lot of cricket across formats, which has increased his workload. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, has mostly played a defensive role and his wicket-taking ability has dropped. Other spinners like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar help control runs, but India needs more impact in terms of wickets.

India’s best middle-over performances came when Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal played together. Both wrist spinners worked well as a pair and took wickets consistently with their variations.

Bringing Varun Chakaravarthy back could help India form another strong spin pair. He is used to bowling alongside Kuldeep Yadav in white-ball cricket, and together they could become match winners in the long run.

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2. Harshit Rana’s rise and Ravindra Jadeja’s decline

In ODI cricket, India usually prefers a deep batting line-up till No.8 or No.9, along with at least three spin options. At present, Kuldeep Yadav is the main specialist spinner, while others are spin all-rounders.

With Harshit Rana improving with both bat and ball, he could soon take up the No.8 spot. If that happens, India may not need an extra spin all-rounder and can instead pick Varun Chakaravarthy to strengthen their bowling.

Axar Patel remains important because of his left-arm spin and his ability to bat up the order. This leaves Ravindra Jadeja, who has not made a big impact in ODIs for some time. He has struggled to score runs in the middle order and has not been effective as a finisher.

Jadeja has taken only one wicket in his last five ODIs. This could be a sign for the selectors to rethink India’s spin options.

3. Varun Chakaravarthy showed promise in his short ODI career

Varun Chakaravarthy’s first ODI call-up in early 2025 was questioned by many, as most people felt his bowling was better suited for T20 cricket. However, he had a decent debut against England and followed it up with a strong performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

In subcontinent conditions, Chakaravarthy troubled batters regularly. In four ODIs, he went for more than five runs per over only once and picked up 10 wickets at an average of 19. Before that, he took 18 wickets in six matches during the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, proving his value in 50-over cricket.

The long gap after the Champions Trophy affected his momentum. India’s next ODI series was in Australia, where spinners were not a priority. As a result, he missed out on series against South Africa and New Zealand.

With India’s current spinners struggling to take wickets, the selectors need a proven option. Varun Chakaravarthy stands out as a strong choice to fix India’s middle-over bowling issues.

While the fifth and final game of the India vs South Africa T20I series at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was running on the wire in the high-scoring encounter, Varun Chakravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah strongly put the hosts in control. After Bumrah and Hardik Pandya dismissed two set Proteas batters Quinton de Kock and Dewald Brevis, Varun then took charge of the game by taking two back-to-back wickets, as the hosts then controlled the game completely. 

It was the 13th over when Varun Chakravarthy brought his magic with two wickets in consecutive deliveries. While Varun delivered his first over in the seventh over of the innings, he provided India's first breakthrough by dismissing opener Reeza Hendricks (13) and conceded only three runs. However, in his next over, the leggie conceded 23 runs, including two sixes and two fours. 

Watch: Tilak-Hardik smash 27 runs in George Linde's final over in IND vs SA 5th T20I

Varun Chakravarthy took two back-to-back wickets

Varun returned in the 13th over, where he conceded a four to Aiden Markram on the second delivery. However, on the next delivery, he dismissed Markram (6) through an lbw, as he had an unsuccessful paddle attempt. While Markram went for a review to challenge the on-field umpire's decision, he had no luck as the impact was umpire's call, and the out decision stayed.  

On the next ball, Varun bowled Donovan Ferreira with a beautiful delivery. That put India under control, as South Africa were struggling at 135/5 in the chase of 232 runs. 

THE X FACTOR INDIA - VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY...!!! 😍💪 pic.twitter.com/OQqYwMmgu1

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 19, 2025

Varun Chakravarthy took four wickets

George Linde defended the hat-trick ball, and Varun dismissed him in his next over, as the Indian leg-spinner had the bowling figures of 4-0-53-4. 

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has etched his name into the history books by becoming the highest-rated Indian bowler in ICC Men’s T20I rankings. In the latest update released on Wednesday, December 17, Chakravarthy retained the No.1 spot with a career-best rating of 818 points, surpassing Jasprit Bumrah’s long-standing Indian record.

Bumrah previously held the benchmark with a rating of 783, achieved in February 2017 after his sensational 3/14 against England. Varun has now comfortably gone past that mark, underlining his rise as one of the most dominant bowlers in modern T20 cricket.

Highest Bowler Ratings in Men’s T20Is

Chakravarthy first climbed to the top spot during the Asia Cup 2025 and has shown remarkable consistency since then. In the ongoing T20I series against South Africa, he has taken six wickets in three matches, including an excellent spell of 2/11 in four overs at Dharamsala, helping India take a 2-1 series lead.

The mystery spinner currently enjoys a massive 119-point lead over second-placed Jacob Duffy of New Zealand. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh has also made gains, moving up four places to 16th in the bowling rankings.

India continue to dominate the batting charts as well. Abhishek Sharma remains the No.1 T20I batter with 909 points, while Tilak Varma has climbed to fourth after a consistent series. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has slipped to tenth and will be eager to rediscover form in the fourth T20I at Lucknow.

Varun’s journey makes his achievement even more special. Dropped after a disappointing 2021 T20 World Cup, he reinvented himself through relentless work. With 51 wickets in 32 T20Is and an economy of 6.75, Chakravarthy now stands as India’s biggest weapon heading into the T20 World Cup 2026 on home soil.

The no.1-ranked T20I bowler, Indian leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, produced another brilliant bowling performance during the Dharamsala T20I against South Africa. In that match, he completed his 50th T20I wicket, as he became one of the fastest Indian bowlers to complete 50 T20I wickets. 

While South Africa were bundled out for only 117 runs in 20 overs in the third T20I of the five-match series after losing the toss, Varun Chakravarthy was the best Indian bowler with the bowling figures of 4-0-11-2, as he delivered 14 dots and didn't concede a single boundary in the game. 

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Varun Chakravarthy became second fastest Indian to complete 50 T20I wickets

In the match, Varun took the wickets of two dangerous Proteas batters, Donovan Ferreira (20) and Marco Jansen (2), as both were bowled. None of the South African batters had any clue how to handle Varun at Dharamsala. 

Varun's first victim of the match was Donovan Ferreira, who recently got lucky, as Arshdeep Singh dropped him at long on in the 13th over. However, in the next over, Varun bowled Donovan, as the Proteas batter went for a big shot, but the Indian spinner comfortably beat him with the ball. It was Varun's 50th T20I wicket, as he completed it in his 32nd T20I. 

Varun became the second fastest Indian to complete 50 T20I wickets. The left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav holds the record for the fastest Indian to complete 50 T20I wickets, as he achieved it in 30 innings. 

Among the Indian pacers, Arshdeep Singh holds the record for the fastest 50 T20I wickets, as the left-arm pacer completed it in 33 innings. 

Among the top five fastest Indian bowlers to complete 50 T20I wickets, the other two names are also spinners, as Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal completed this feat in 33 and 34 T20I innings, respectively. 

Fastest 50 T20I wickets by Indians (number of innings)

India takes the lead by defeating the home team, Australia, in the 4th match (AUS vs IND 4th T20I) of the 5-match T20I series. Australia bowled according to their plan, but it was their batting department that let them down—let them down in a poor manner.

Against India's first innings of 167 runs, Australia could score only 119, losing all of their wickets in 18.2. As a senior player and match winner, Glenn Maxwell was in their lineup, but he too remained ineffective because of the ace spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy took the ball away from the right-handed batter to disturb the bails. The red light installed in bail started to blink; Maxwell had to depart. He faced only 4 balls and scored a couple runs before heading back to the pavilion.

Unlike their middle and lower-middle order, the opening pair of the home team did pretty well against the competitive target. Captain Mitchell Marsh and Matt Short scored 30 and 25 runs, respectively. The surface of the Heritage Bank Stadium was a little bit on the slower side.

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Varun Chakravarthy clean bowled Glenn Maxwell 

When India was batting in the first innings, the Australian bowlers were applying slower balls to unsettle the batters. Nathan Ellis tried to control Team India's run rate by producing outside-off deliveries. Varun did the same against Maxwell. Maxwell stepped out of the crease to hit the ball hard. By the time the bowler anticipated the move in advance and offered the batter a wider delivery. Maxwell missed the ball; the ball hit the stumps. In his 4-over quota, Chakravarthy took one wicket at an economy rate of 6.50. 

Glen maxwell was dismissed by Varun pic.twitter.com/VicbLGdLNj

— SECONDSELF (@itzsecondself) November 6, 2025

The fifth match, which is the last of the tour, will decide the fate of the 5-match T20I series. If India wins, they will win the contest by 3-1, and if Australia wins, then the series will be ended in a balance with a 2-2 scoreline. The next match is scheduled to be held on November 8 at The Gabba. 

India’s mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, experienced an incredible time with the ball in the last few years, especially in the shortest format. He was incredible with the ball in the middle overs and the powerplay for the national side in the shortest format of the game. In 24 innings, he has collected 40 wickets at an average of 15.60 and an economy rate of under seven.

The Indian spinner looked back at the time when Abhishek Nayar, with contributions from Dinesh Karthik, brough him back the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL. The latter also called him to come Mumbai and go through a session for three continuous months.

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“We are looking to pick, and he (Abhishek Nayar) told me. Obviously, DK (Dinesh Karthik) had a huge role in that. They are the ones who brought me back to KKR. The day after the auction, Nayar called me and asked me to come in Mumbai. He got me a room next to his house. So, me, Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Nikhil Naik, and Prasidh Krishna used to live in a small apartment.”

Watch: Varun Chakvarthy reveals Abhishek Nayar’s contribution in his comeback to cricket

The Tamil Nadu spinner played a massive role for Kolkata in the last three years. Since the start of IPL 2022, he has picked up 58 wickets in 42 innings at an average of around 20 and an economy rate of nearly eight with the best figures of 4/15.

Varun chakravarthy on Abhishek Nayar 💜 pic.twitter.com/2yfWhPbQmN

— Ashish Shrivastava (@ashishayush1177) October 16, 2025

“We had to do all of our staffs day in and out for three months non-stop. In the morning, we had gym, and in the evening, we had to make dinner. Nayar also made us doing the Bollywood dance. He told me that we hadn’t have any movement. I think what he had in his mind was to be around the cricketers and know how they work.” The Karnataka-born addressed.

“Then I saw how Tripathi, Nagarkoti, and other used to wake up in the morning and go to gym. That was when I realized that there was some method to all this madness. I can’t sustain my career if I am not into this. There were sessions when he used us to visualize what would I say if I get the player of the match award.” Varun Chakravarthy shed light.

Varun Chakravarthy's selection into the Champions Trophy 2025 squad was a surprising move by the team management. By the time of the squad announcement, the spinner had no experience playing in the One Day International format. Then how did he make his way into the team? 

Months after winning the prestigious tournament, Chakravarthy revealed the surprising selection. During the CEAT Cricket Awards ceremony in Mumbai, he said that it was Rohit Sharma, then the ODI captain of India, who recognized him for the 50-over tournament. On the stage of the program, the 34-year-old especially thanked the former captain for showing trust in him for the crucial assignment. 

"I didn't expect to be in the Champions Trophy squad, but thanks to Rohit Bhai (Rohit Sharma) and the coaching staff," Varun Chakravarthy said during the CEAT Cricket Awards ceremony. 

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Varun Chakravarthy played a crucial for India in Champions Trophy 2025

Behind the successful campaign in Champions Trophy 2025, the spinner played a pivotal role by taking 9 wickets in only three matches. Varun played his first match of the tournament against New Zealand during the group stage. In that game, he picked up a 5-for at the Dubai International Stadium. 

Varun Chakravarthy: I didn’t expect to be included in the Champions Trophy squad, but thanks to Rohit bhai and other people for believing in me. 🙌🏻

pic.twitter.com/yBCE1umHmR

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) October 8, 2025

The other two matches were more important for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner, as they were the semifinal and the final. India faced Australia and New Zealand, respectively, and Varun claimed a brace in each match. With those 9 wickets in 3 matches, he finished the tournament as the joint highest wicket-taker for team India. So far, in 4 ODIs, he took 10 wickets at an economy rate of 4.75. In T20Is, the Tamil Nadu-born has bagged 40 scalps in 24 matches at a brilliant economy rate of 6.89. 

India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, won the toss and decided to bowl first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium during the final of the Asia Cup 2025. They didn’t have Hardik Pandya for the clash as he couldn’t recover in time.

Despite the 84-run opening stand between half-century Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s middle order didn’t get enough runs on the board. Apart from the top three, none of the batters got their scores into double figures.

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In reply, India completed the successful chase by five wickets with two balls to spare. Tilak Verma remained unbeaten on 69 runs in 53 balls with the help of three fours and four sixes, while Shivam Dube grabbed 33 runs in 22 balls.

Know what Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, and others said after winning Asia Cup 2025 final

Rinku Singh- Nothing else matters. This one ball matters. One was needed. I hit it for a four. Everyone knows I am a finisher. The team won, and I am thrilled.

Sanju Samson- Not played many Ind-Pakistan games, but the pressure was there. I had to use my experience, calm my nerves, watch the ball, and react. The game dictates what type of cricket you need to play. I was looking to time the ball, and that’s what helped me.

Shubman Gill: It was amazing, as for the whole tournament, we remained unbeaten. It feels amazing to be in the position. The conversation was to take the game as deep as possible. The target was not much, but it was important to soak up the pressure. Losing three wickets early is never easy. But the partnership with Sanju and Tilak, and the Dube hit those sixes, it was important.

Varun Chakravarthy- At the time, I was going for wickets, Fakhar and Farhan were going well. I had done some panning, but it worked out in a way. Kuldeep came in and finished it. That gave me memories of KKR winning. If you see the trend, in the first ten overs, everyone is going berserk.

Kuldeep Yadav- We, the spinners, are playing together, and it’s a luxury to have. Everyone had a different role. They started well. After 10-11 overs, they were 100-1. We knew if we could get a couple of wickets, then it was not going to be easy for the new batters to come in and score runs. Big thanks to Hari and a masterclass from Tilak.

Morne Morkel- Special performance by the boys tonight. The guys summed up the conditions with the ball. We wanted to get into a good mental space. It was about who would hold their nerve well.

In the Asia Cup 2025 Final, Pakistan openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman provided a strong start. But the Indian spinners brought the Men in Blues back in the game with superb bowling performances, as they picked up wickets in back-to-back overs. In the crucial 15th over, while the Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman seemed very dangerous, the leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed him bravely. 

Pakistan openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman put on an 84-run partnership for the first wicket, as Farhan was dismissed in the 10th over after another great half-century. Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy took that wicket, and later the Indian spinners dominated to bring an entire batting collapse of the Pakistan team.

Opener Fakhar Zaman started slowly, as Farhan was charging the Indian bowlers, which was likely a part of their game plan. But after that opening wicket fall, Fakhar didn't get any proper support from the other end, as the pressure was building up on him. 

WATCH: Axar Patel strikes as Mohammad Haris falls for a duck in Asia Cup 2025 Final IND vs PAK

Asia Cup 2025 Final, India vs Pakistan: Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed Fakhar Zaman just after a sixer

While Pakistan were losing under pressure in the middle overs, Fakhar tried his best. In the 15th over, he smashed a sixer to Varun Chakaravarthy. It was a full and wide delivery, which Fakhar smacked over the long on for an overboundary. On the very next ball, Varun delivered another wide delivery with a shorter length, and Fakhar once again went for that but couldn't control his stroke. The ball went to the backward point, and Kuldeep Yadav took that crucial catch to bring another crucial wicket for India. 

Fakhar scored 46 off 35 balls with two fours and two sixes, while Pakistan were suddenly down to 126/4 after once dominating at 113/1. It was another big wicket for India, as the Indian bowlers took full control of the game since then, as Pakistan were later bowled out for only 146 runs in 19.1 overs. 

Watch: Fakhar Zaman's dismissal video

Varun Chakaravarthy gets the big fish, Fakhar Zaman 💪🔥

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