Chakaravarthy’s Humble Self-Assessment
Despite a match-winning performance in the first T20I against England in Kolkata, Varun Chakaravarthy modestly rated himself a 7 out of 10. The mystery spinner’s impressive figures of 3/23 played a pivotal role in India’s seven-wicket victory, but his post-match comments revealed a hunger for further improvement. “I still rate myself a 7 out of 10. There’s more work to do,” he said after receiving the Player of the Match award.
Exploiting Eden Gardens Conditions
Chakaravarthy’s spell was a showcase of tactical brilliance. On a pitch typically favoring seam bowlers, he leveraged bounce over spin to trouble England’s batters. Familiar with the conditions at Eden Gardens due to his IPL stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, Chakaravarthy explained his approach: “I’ve seen such pitches in the IPL. While they favor seamers, I focused on certain lengths and used bounce to my advantage rather than relying on side-spin.”
Arshdeep’s Early Breakthroughs Set the Stage
The groundwork for India’s dominant bowling performance was laid by Arshdeep Singh, who claimed two early wickets, dismissing Ben Duckett and Phil Salt to leave England struggling. With the openers back in the pavilion, Chakaravarthy capitalized on the situation to dismantle England’s middle order.
His first wicket came with Harry Brook’s dismissal for 17, followed by Liam Livingstone, who was out for a two-ball duck. The highlight of Chakaravarthy’s spell was the dismissal of England captain Jos Buttler, who was anchoring the innings with a fighting 68 off 44 balls. Buttler misjudged a clever variation and holed out to Nitish Reddy at deep square leg, sealing England’s fate.
Navigating Challenging Overs
Reflecting on the crucial final overs, Chakaravarthy acknowledged the difficulties of bowling at Eden Gardens. “Every over here is challenging, especially against batters like Jos. The last over was tricky, but by God’s grace, I succeeded,” he said.
India’s Dominant Chase
After England were restricted to a modest 132, India comfortably chased down the target, thanks to a blistering 79 from opener Abhishek Sharma. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, with Chakaravarthy’s remarkable comeback to the T20I squad being one of the standout aspects of the game.
As India looks ahead, Chakaravarthy’s ability to deliver under pressure makes him a valuable asset in the team’s T20 plans. His performance in Kolkata served as a reminder of his potential to shine on the international stage.
