Follow UsA few hours after being named in India’s final squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, spinner Varun Chakravarthy was ruled out of the third ODI against England in Ahmedabad on February 12 (Wednesday). The 33-year-old was ruled out of the final ODI due to a sore calf.
Chakravarthy made his ODI debut in Cuttack and finished with figures of 1/54. The spinner was drafted into the ODI set-up after having a stunning T20I series against England, where he scalped 14 wickets in just five games.
In fact, Chakravarthy has been in an unbelievable form since making his return to the Indian set-up. After claiming just two wickets in his first six T20Is, the spinner has taken 31 wickets in his last 12 T20Is. Chakravarthy was also brilliant in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, taking 21 wickets for champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The Tamil Nadu spinner was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, scalping 18 wickets in six games. That was good enough to convince the selectors and the Indian team management that Chakravarthy is fit enough to bowl 10 overs in the 50-over format.
The Men in Blue will be without their ace paceman, Jasprit Bumrah, in the Champions Trophy, starting on February 19. They can’t afford to lose another key bowler. India will hope Chakravarthy’s injury isn’t serious and he recovers in time before their tournament opener against Bangladesh on February 20.