The stage is set for the final showdown between India and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. Both teams will be facing each other after 25 years of wait in Champions Trophy Final. From both teams, each players have potential to perform brilliantly in the final match and everyone is a match-winner.
But when it comes to a “X-Factor Player”, there is only a single player who have that USP. From Team India’s perspective, every Indian fan will take one name who would be a “match-winner” and that is Virat Kohli but eventually it is not him!
It’s a bowler who has tarnished the strong Kiwi batting line-up in this Champions Trophy 2025 and the player’s name is none other than is Varun Chakaravarthy.
Varun Chakaravarthy’s Threat
India’s new “mystery spinner” has been a flamboyant bowler for Team India in the limited-overs game. He recently made his ICC ODI-Tournament debut in the Champions Trophy 2025. Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir along with skipper Rohit Sharma threw a trump-card against New Zealand in the last league game.
5-Wicket Haul Which Created Havoc!
Varun Chakaravarthy rattled the Kiwi top and middle-order and returned with a match-winning figures of 5 for 42 runs in 8 overs. With his match-winning performance, he earned the “Player of the match” award.
What New Zealand Head Coach Said
New Zealand’s head coach Gary Stead said on Varun Chakaravarthy that – “We’ll be putting our thinking caps on”. “So, look, we certainly expect him to play after getting 5 for 42 against us in the last game. And yeah, we’ll be planning out, I guess, intentions around that as well.
“There’s no doubt he’s a class bowler. He obviously showed his skills against us last time and he’s a big, big threat in the game. So, we’ll be putting our thinking caps on how we nullify that and how we can still score runs against him,” Stead said. “I think when you have a wrist spinner like that, then you’re looking for cues as a batsman. And I think it’s always a little bit easier when you’re in the daylight to see those things.”
