Varun Chakaravarthy was in poor form in the Super 8 Stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup, despite building a good momentum in the group stage. He also had an expensive spell in the semifinals against England, and he was visibly exposed by Jacob Bethell. But ahead of the final, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner backed the India spinner and revealed that his side hasn’t written him off yet.
New Zealand defeated South Africa in the semifinals, and India beat England. India are the favourites, but will be wary of New Zealand’s threat, having lost to them in key matches in ICC tournaments in the past.
“For any bowler, when the pitch is flat, it’s a challenge. When it’s spinning or seaming, it can trouble the batters, but on a flat surface it becomes difficult for bowlers. I think everyone can go for 60 on their day,” said Santner.
Varun showcased his brilliance in the group stage, taking 12 wickets in four matches. But in the Super 8s, he lost that momentum, and his economy rate increased to 10.16. In the 72 balls he bowled in that phase, he managed only 20 dot balls. In the semifinals, he ended the day with 1/64 in four overs. Meanwhile, Bethell smacked him for 41 off 13 balls.
‘One game away from changing the tide’
“For Varun, he has to know that he is still a very good bowler. He is just one game away from changing the tide. It’s the same with any bowler or batter. If you are out of form, you are only one game away from being back. So it’s about going out there and proving it. It’s always a challenge, but days like that happen. It doesn’t get much harder than that. You can bank on that experience going into the next game. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you think about what it looks like and whether you can do things slightly differently,” he added.
