Varun Chakaravarthy has quickly established himself as one of India’s top T20I bowlers, delivering stellar performances against South Africa and England. In the recent five-match T20I series against England, where India dominated 4-1, Chakaravarthy emerged as the highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps—matching the record for the most wickets in a bilateral T20I series. His consistent success has also propelled him to No. 5 in the ICC T20I rankings for bowlers.

 

Despite his impressive form, Chakaravarthy was not included in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and UAE from February 19. However, Ravichandran Ashwin believes there is still a possibility of him making a late entry, as teams can make changes to their provisional squads until mid-February.

 

Speaking on his channel, Ashwin said, “There is a chance he might be included. Since it’s a provisional squad, changes can still be made. But the big question is—who will they drop if they decide to bring him in?”

 

Chakaravarthy is currently not part of India’s ODI setup, but with a three-match series against England starting February 6, Ashwin sees it as a perfect opportunity for the selectors to test him in the 50-over format. Chakaravarthy has already proven himself in domestic cricket, having picked up 18 wickets in just six matches during last year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy.

 

“I feel he might get a chance in the ODI series against England. It’s unlikely he’ll be directly added to the Champions Trophy squad without playing ODIs. If he doesn’t get picked now, it’ll be tough for him to make the final cut,” Ashwin added.