Debasis Sen: Team India mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy is in the reckoning to get selected for Friday’s T20 World Cup 2021 match against Scotland at Dubai. Varun was seen undergoing fitness test under the watchful eye of Physio Nitin Patel and assistant trainer Soham Desai.
Chakaravarty was the only player to attend the optional training session. The mystery spinner missed the Afghanistan match due to left calf strain. Experienced off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin replaced him.
The Kolkata Knight Riders’ spinner’s fitness has been contentious with a dodgy knee and the left calf strain has just mounted the pressure on the Indian spinner.
After completing the fitness drills and extended round of jogging, the spinner from Tamil Nadu was seen rolling his arms at the nets with bowling coach Bharat Arun overlooking the session.
Arun was seen having a lengthy chat with Chakravarthy with the bowling coach seen discussing release points and angles with the mystery spinner.
If deemed fit, Chakaravarthy might replace Shardul Thakur. In that case the Indian team will go in with three frontline spinners – Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravichandran Ashwin.
With the Dubai pitch assisting spinners, it won’t be a surprise if Chakaravarthy walks into the playing XI. Chakaravarthy can bring in the mystery element into the scheme of things as Scottish players have never faced the Indian spinner.
It is a must win game for India so as to stay in the hunt for a semi final berth. Virat Kohli led side needs to win both their group league games against Scotland and Namibia apart from looking at the result of Afghanistan and New Zealand game on Sunday.