Gautam Gambhir has been advised to carefully use Varun Chakaravarthy in the series against South Africa.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin cautioned head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav over the utilisation of Varun Chakaravarthy in the five-match T20I series against South Africa. The 39-year-old had a piece of advice for the management, urging them not to “overexpose” the mystery spinner in the upcoming contest. Ashwin suggested that India might also play against the Proteas in the T20 World Cup, and hence Varun’s mystery should be protected at all costs.
The 34-year-old Varun has so far played 29 T20Is for India, scalping 45 wickets with his best figures being 5/17. The spinner is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Looking at how Varun has made a habit of spinning a web around the opponents, Ashwin believes that he and Kuldeep Yadav can make a formidable partnership, but the rest of the teams in the world should not get the opportunity to get acclimatised to them.
After the series against South Africa, India will also play five T20Is against New Zealand next year, and this will serve as the dress rehearsal ahead of the World Cup, where India will look to defend their title.
“We shouldn’t overexpose Varun Chakaravarthy. We shouldn’t do that. One should save him. We will be playing against South Africa and New Zealand, and we can possibly play against these teams in the T20 World Cup. Varun’s mystery is a big factor. He has been playing for many years, but he’s still able to hold his own,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
‘Don’t give them chance’
Ashwin also said that Kuldeep and Varun should play together in the playing XI in the World Cup but the team can look to break this partnership in some matches ahead of the World Cup.
“But exposing both Kuldeep and Varun in large quantities is something I’ll refrain from. I think eventually they have to play together in the World Cup, but not overexposing the mystery of Varun, because these teams can face us in the knockouts of the T20 World Cup,” said Ashwin.
“Don’t give them enough time to figure him out. The more they play against him, they will also have a chance of figuring it out. Mystery should remain mystery,” he added.
The five-match series between India and South Africa will begin on Tuesday, December 9 in Cuttack. Both Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya are back for the hosts as they recovered from their respective injuries.
