India national cricket team captain Suryakumar Yadav has reacted to the intense noise surrounding struggling spinner Varun Chakravarthy ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 final against the New Zealand national cricket team on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Many are suggesting the defending champions should rest their mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy for the big title clash after his expensive spell in the recent games. It seems that the bowler has lost his confidence as the batsmen have been attacking him openly in the tournament.
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However, Suryakumar Yadav clarified that the team is not worried about Varun Chakravarthy’s form and believes that cricket is a team game where different players step up on different days. The Indian captain also said that one or two tough matches cannot define a player’s value, especially someone who has already proved himself at the highest level.
Suryakumar Yadav hits back at Varun Chakraborty’s critics ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 final
“There are no concerns about Varun’s form. We won the match because of the collective effort, and once you win the match, you shouldn’t think too much. If you have 11 players, not everyone will perform every day. There will be ups and downs, and there will be other people to cover for that person,” Suryakumar Yadav told reporters ahead of the final, as quoted by PTI.
The Indian captain further said, “I have no worries about Varun because he is the No. 1 bowler in the world. He knows how to raise his game on big occasions and help his team win and I am sure he will win the final for us.”
When asked if India might change its playing XI for the big final, the Indian captain kept the team’s plans a complete secret. Suryakumar signed off by saying, “Watch it yourself tomorrow. Looks like you want to know everything today.”
Suryakumar Yadav, Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar discuss strategy while Varun Chakraborty trains quietly
However, the situation inside the practice session told a different story. Varun Chakravarthy was seen working hard in the nets under the supervision of bowling coach Morne Morkel.
Meanwhile, Suryakumar was seen discussing strategies with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar near the pitch area in Ahmedabad. After finishing his spell, Varun went back and sat quietly on a blue icebox and continued his practice.
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Meanwhile, other players like Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Verma also swung their arms into the nearby net, adding more curiosity about India’s playing combination for the title clash.
Varun’s expensive spell has given India a selection headache
In this tournament, the mystery spinner has been a bit expensive with the ball, giving away runs at a rate of around nine per over. After conceding more than 40 runs against the West Indies, Varun conceded 64 runs in his four overs against England in the semi-finals.
Because of this, some people feel that India may bring in Kuldeep Yadav for the final, but the wrist spinner has played only one match so far in the tournament, so he has not got much chance to get into rhythm. Then again, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips have excellent records against Kuldeep, making Varun unlikely to be seated for the summit clash.
