29 January,2025 12:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Varun Chakravarthy. Pic/PTI
After delivering his "Man of the Match" performance against England in the third T20I, Team India's mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy accepted that he bowled well but vowed to get better.
In a game that was arguably decided by both side's ability to churn out runs on a slow turf and a bowler's ability to put a lid on the scoring rate. Varun Chakravarthy excelled in keeping a check on the scoring rate and making the batters dance to his tune.
After Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss, he opted to bowl first. The decision was a clear indication to fans that Varun Chakravarthy would be soon seen with the bowl early in the night.
He instantly made his impact felt after being introduced by Suryakumar in the final over of the powerplay. Varun hardly gave away runs to Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler and conceded just three in his first over.
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In his next overs, Varun Chakravarthy kept turning the Englishmen inside out and registered his second five-wicket haul in the shortest format of the game. His heroics with the ball didn't pull a victory for India, but was enough to crown him the "Player of the Match".
After he returned with staggering match figures of 5/24, Varun was upset about the end result but urged the need to move on from the defeat and focus on what stands ahead.
"Sad that we didn't make it in this match, but that's the nature of the game, got to move on. Of course, when you're playing for the country, got to take up some accountability and be able to do it to a certain extent. Hope to do it well," he said in the post-match presentation after India's 26-run defeat in the third T20I.
After Varun delivered a clinical over in the powerplay, Suryakumar took him off the attack and brought him back in the 9th over. After pegging away England skipper Jos Buttler's wicket, the Indian skipper decided to hold back Varun's remaining two overs.
Varun Chakravarthy was reintroduced in the 14th over, and this time, he completed a two-over spell. He wreaked havoc with his bag of mysteries and variations to breeze past England's middle order, including Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer.
"I don't complain [on one-over spells] - there have been times when Surya bowls me four on the trot, mentally ready for what he throws at me," Varun said.
Among his different weapons, the flipper has slowly turned into one of his lethal weapons. As he continues to work on this variation and master it, the hunger to reach new heights remains a wanton whim for Varun.
"I have been working on a flipper, coming out well. Maybe on this stage, the best I've bowled, but I can definitely get better," Varun concluded.
(With ANI Inputs)