As India and Australia gear up for the decisive fifth and final T20 International at The Gabba in Brisbane, all eyes will be on Varun Chakaravarthy, who stands on the verge of scripting a remarkable bowling record in Indian cricket. The mystery spinner needs just five wickets to become the fastest Indian bowler to reach 50 T20I wickets, a feat that would underline his rise as one of India’s premier white-ball spinners.

The Record in Sight

Varun Chakaravarthy has been in stellar form since making his return to India’s T20 setup. With 45 wickets in just 28 T20Is, he has quickly established himself as a reliable wicket-taker in the middle overs. The current record for the fastest Indian to reach 50 T20I wickets is held by Kuldeep Yadav, who achieved the milestone in 30 matches.  Should Chakaravarthy manage to pick up five or more wickets against Australia, he will break Kuldeep’s record and become the fastest Indian to reach the landmark, achieving it in 29 matches or fewer.

Given his deceptive variations, tight control, and calm under pressure, the 33-year-old spinner from Tamil Nadu has become a mainstay in India’s T20 attack, particularly valuable on pitches that offer grip and turn.

Match Preview – India vs Australia, 5th T20I at The Gabba

The five-match T20I series heads to the iconic Gabba in Brisbane for a thrilling conclusion as Suryakumar Yadav-led India take on Mitchell Marsh’s Australia. The toss will take place at 1:15 PM IST with the match starting at 13:45 IST on Saturday, October 8. 

India holds an unassailable 2-1 lead and will be aiming to seal a series victory. They are on the cusp of securing another T20I series victory Down Under – extending their unbeaten streak.

On the other hand, Australia, who are missing key players due to Ashes preparations, desperately seek a consolation win to avoid a third straight T20I defeat and salvage a 2-2 draw.