Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy returns to the T20 World Cup after nearly four years. He has been selected for the team for the 2026 World Cup. Recent impressive performances have regained the trust of the selectors.
Sports: After a long wait of almost four years, Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy has once again received the opportunity to play in the T20 World Cup. The squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 has been announced, and Varun Chakravarthy's name is included in it. Suryakumar Yadav has been entrusted with the captaincy of the team. Considering his recent performances, Varun's return is fully justified. He has shown such a game in recent times that has forced the selectors to trust him again.
From a rocky start to a b comeback
Varun Chakravarthy was previously part of Team India in the 2021 T20 World Cup. There were high expectations from him in that tournament, but he failed to impress with his performance. Especially in big matches, his game came under scrutiny. He was then dropped from the Indian team. This period would be mentally challenging for any player, but Varun did not give up. He worked on himself and continuously strived to improve his game.
The match against Pakistan became a turning point in his career
The match against Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup was very disappointing for Varun Chakravarthy. In this match, he conceded 33 runs in four overs of bowling and did not take a single wicket. Pakistani batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan openly scored runs against him. Both batsmen scored half-centuries and Pakistan won the match by 10 wickets. Varun faced criticism at that time and was seen as a ‘villain’.
Struggles after being dropped from Team India
After the 2021 T20 World Cup, Varun Chakravarthy was shown the door from the Indian team. This decision was a major setback for him. But it was during this time that he decided to prove himself. While being out of the team, he consistently performed well in IPL (Indian Premier League) and domestic cricket. He brought variety to his bowling and further strengthened his ability to deceive batsmen. The result of this hard work was that the selectors once again turned their attention to him.
Showed his true mettle in the South Africa series
Varun Chakravarthy's comeback was largely based on the T20 series played against South Africa. In this series, he took a total of 10 wickets with excellent bowling. South African batsmen could not stick to his deliveries and were often seen making mistakes. Varun was chosen as the Player of the Series for this brilliant performance. This series made it clear that Varun has now become a more mature and confident bowler than before.
Most successful Indian bowler in T20 Internationals in 2025
The year 2025 proved to be memorable for Varun Chakravarthy. This year, he took the most wickets for the Indian team in T20 International cricket. He took 36 wickets in 20 matches, which reflects his excellent form. It is not easy for batsmen to read his deliveries. That is why he is continuously successful in taking wickets. So far, he has taken a total of 55 T20I wickets for Team India, which proves his consistency.
A challenge for batsmen
Varun Chakravarthy's biggest strength is his mystery spin. Batsmen often fail to understand the direction and turn of his deliveries. Varun takes wickets by taking advantage of this confusion. There has been consistency in his line and length, and he remains calm even under pressure. These qualities make him useful in big tournaments. The importance of such a bowler increases even more on a platform like the T20 World Cup.
An opportunity to prove himself in the 2026 T20 World Cup
Returning to the T20 World Cup after four years is no less than a second innings for Varun Chakravarthy. This time he is more experienced and his recent form is also in his favor. The team management will have high expectations from him, especially in important matches. Varun has the opportunity to leave past mistakes behind and establish himself as a match winner.
