Nagpur, Feb 4: Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was on Tuesday added to India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England. Chakaravarthy’s potential selection is backed by his remarkable ‘Player of the Series’ performance in the recently-concluded five-match T20I series against England, where he finished as India’s highest wicket-taker, scalping 14 wickets, including a sensational five-fer.
“The Men’s Selection Committee has added Varun Chakaravarthy to India’s squad for the upcoming 3-match ODI series against England,” said BCCI in a statement. With the ODI series set to begin on Thursday in Nagpur, Chakaravarthy has already started training with the squad.
The 33-year-old’s ability to trouble England’s batting lineup with his variations and deceptive spin played a crucial role in India’s 4-1 series victory. Despite having played only 23 List A (50-over) games, Chakravarthy has an impressive record of 59 wickets at a strike rate of 19.8.
His recent exploits in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker among spinners, further strengthened his case. He picked up 18 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.16, including a best of 5-9.
Chakaravarthy’s addition adds further depth to India’s spin department, which already includes the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar. With the Champions Trophy approaching, the selectors are likely testing different combinations to finalise their squad for the ICC event in Dubai later this month.
India’s updated ODI squad for England series: Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.
IANS