Varun Chakaravarthy made his much-awaited ODI debut for India on Sunday, February 9, during the second match of the home series against England at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The 33-year-old spinner from Tamil Nadu received his maiden ODI cap from legendary all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in a special pre-match team huddle.

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Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir tasked Jadeja with presenting the cap to Chakravarthy, marking his entry as India’s 259th ODI player. Before handing over the cap, Jadeja praised Chakravarthy’s exceptional performances in T20Is and encouraged him to make a mark in the 50-over format. “Varun, cap number 259. It’s a special day for you and your family. From tennis ball cricket to T20 cricket, we’ve all seen your magic. Now it’s time to do something really special in this format. We all are with you. Just give your 100% and good luck,” Jadeja said.

Watch the video here:

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Chakravarthy, visibly emotional, acknowledged Jadeja’s gesture and reflected on his journey. “It feels very good because it’s been a long journey from my 2021 T20 debut. I’ve got this breakthrough now after playing a lot of domestic Vijay Hazare matches. I will definitely cherish and value it,” he said.

Instant impact

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Chakravarthy made an instant impact in his debut ODI, providing India with a crucial breakthrough by dismissing England opener Phil Salt. Introduced into the attack in the ninth over, he struck in his second over, tossing up a delivery that baited Salt into an ambitious shot. The ball went high into the air, landing safely in Jadeja’s hands at mid-on.

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The Kolkata Knight Riders star nearly trapped Joe Root leg-before on the last ball of the same over, prompting a DRS review. However, ball tracking showed the delivery turning down the leg side, missing the stumps.

Before making his ODI debut, Chakravarthy played 18 T20Is for India since his international debut in July 2021. He claimed 33 wickets in the format at a remarkable average of 14.57, including 14 wickets in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against England. His domestic List A record is equally impressive, with 59 wickets from 23 matches at an average of 14.13.

Replacing Kuldeep Yadav in India’s playing XI for the second ODI, Chakravarthy’s debut marked another milestone in his career, reinforcing his position as one of India’s premier white-ball spinners. With a stellar start, he will be eager to cement his place in the Indian ODI setup moving forward.

(With inputs from agencies)