Synopsis
Sanjay Manjrekar recommends that Indian captain Rohit Sharma considers using Varun Chakravarthy as a mystery spinner in the upcoming Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan. Given India's recent victory and Pakistan's urgent need for a win, this strategic decision could be crucial for success.Key Takeaways
- Manjrekar suggests using Chakravarthy as a mystery spinner.
- India won against Bangladesh and is confident.
- Pakistan needs to win after losing to New Zealand.
- Kuldeep Yadav may require more playtime.
- Chakravarthy has an impressive List A record.
New Delhi, Feb 21 (NationPress) Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has shared his thoughts on the potential lineup for the thrilling encounter against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. He suggested that captain Rohit Sharma consider utilizing Varun Chakravarthy as a mystery spinner to gain an edge over their fierce rivals.
India, the champions of the 2013 Champions Trophy, approach Sunday’s match following a comfortable victory against Bangladesh. For Pakistan, however, it is a crucial match as the defending champions, who lifted the trophy in 2017, are coming off a disappointing 60-run loss to New Zealand in their opening game in Karachi.
When asked about possible adjustments India should make for the intense face-off with Pakistan, Manjrekar noted that while India performed well against Bangladesh, the only change he foresees is bringing in Varun Chakravarthy as a mystery spinner.
“I believe India played quite well, addressing most concerns. I don’t anticipate any changes unless the pitch significantly differs from the previous one. The only adjustment might be testing Varun Chakravarthy against Pakistan since they haven’t faced him since the T20 match in Abu Dhabi,” Manjrekar remarked during the Star Sports Press Room program.
Chakravarthy was included in the Indian squad that faced Pakistan during the T20 World Cup 2021 group stage, marking his only appearance against them.
Nonetheless, with Kuldeep Yadav absent from the squad for several months due to hernia surgery, he may require additional gameplay to prepare for the knockout rounds. Kuldeep has recently rejoined the team for the ODI series against England.
“I believe Kuldeep Yadav needs more match exposure, so they might stick with him. KL Rahul also made some runs, so a change in the wicketkeeper-batter role may not occur,” Manjrekar added.
Chakravarthy debuted in ODIs against England in Cuttack, where he took 1-54. He boasts an impressive List A record, having captured 60 wickets in 24 matches at an outstanding average of 14.8.
This performance earned Chakravarthy, who was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy with 18 wickets, a last-minute selection in the Champions Trophy squad, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, he was not utilized in the opening match as Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja were chosen ahead of him.
Yadav failed to contribute to any of the ten Bangladesh wickets that fell in the opening game, finishing with figures of 0-43 in his ten-over spell.
