<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Varun Chakaravarthy</a> 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 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravindra-jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</a> in a special pre-match team huddle.
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir tasked Jadeja with presenting the cap to Chakravarthy, marking his entry as India&rsquo;s 259th ODI player. Before handing over the cap, Jadeja praised Chakravarthy&rsquo;s exceptional performances in T20Is and encouraged him to make a mark in the 50-over format. &ldquo;Varun, cap number 259. It&rsquo;s a special day for you and your family. From tennis ball cricket to T20 cricket, we&rsquo;ve all seen your magic. Now it&rsquo;s time to do something really special in this format. We all are with you. Just give your 100% and good luck,&rdquo; Jadeja said.
Watch the video here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Ravindra Jadeja 🤝 Varun Chakaravarthy A memorable cap 🧢 moment not long before the duo combine to provide the opening wicket! 😎 Follow The Match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/NReW1eEQtF">https://t.co/NReW1eEQtF</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/FOsoUHBAfU">pic.twitter.com/FOsoUHBAfU</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1888513275333398617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Chakravarthy, visibly emotional, acknowledged Jadeja&rsquo;s gesture and reflected on his journey. &ldquo;It feels very good because it&rsquo;s been a long journey from my 2021 T20 debut. I&rsquo;ve got this breakthrough now after playing a lot of domestic Vijay Hazare matches. I will definitely cherish and value it,&rdquo; he said.
<h2>Instant impact</h2>
Chakravarthy made an instant impact in his debut ODI, providing India with a crucial breakthrough by dismissing England opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/phil-salt">Phil Salt</a>. 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&rsquo;s hands at mid-on.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-corbin-bosch-replaces-injured-anrich-nortje-in-south-africa-squad-8704619">Champions Trophy 2025: Corbin Bosch replaces injured Anrich Nortje in South Africa squad</a> 
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 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kuldeep-yadav">Kuldeep Yadav</a> in India&rsquo;s playing XI for the second ODI, Chakravarthy&rsquo;s debut marked another milestone in his career, reinforcing his position as one of India&rsquo;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)

Cricket Sports: The Indian spinner made an instant impact in his debut ODI, providing India with a crucial breakthrough by dismissing England opener Phil Salt

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. 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: Ravindra Jadeja 🤝 Varun Chakaravarthy A memorable cap 🧢 moment not long before the duo combine to provide the opening wicket! 😎 Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/NReW1eEQtF#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/FOsoUHBAfU — BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2025 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 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. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Corbin Bosch replaces injured Anrich Nortje in South Africa squad 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)

IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: Varun Chakaravarthy receives debut cap from Ravindra Jadeja- WATCH

India skipper Rohit Sharma has spoken on the possibility of mystery spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy">Varun Chakaravarthy</a> being included in India's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy 2025</a> squad. Varun was added to India's squad for England ODIs after initially not being named. The inclusion comes after the spinner's 14-wicket Player of the Series performance in the T20Is against England.
"Varun has certainly shown something different. I understand that it is a T20 format but he's clearly got something different about him. So we just wanted to have an option and see what we can do with him," Rohit said at the pre-match press conference on eve of first England ODI set to be played on Thursday (Feb 6).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-odi-live-india-vs-england-1st-odi-nagpur-live-score-today-playing-xi-match-prediction-toss-pitch-report-liveblog-8694678">India vs England 1st ODI Live Score and Update</a>
"If the series presents us an opportunity to play him at some stage and we will see what he's capable of. Right now, we are not thinking about whether we're going to take him (to Champions Trophy) or not.
"But definitely, he will be in contention if things pan out really well for us and he does what is required," Rohit added.
Recently, retired offie <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravi-ashwin">Ravi Ashwin</a> also backed Chakaravarthy for making it to India's Champions Trophy squad.
"We are all talking about whether he should have been there (Champions Trophy squad), I am thinking there is a chance he might be there. I have a feeling he might make it. There is a chance because all teams have named only a provisional squad. So, he might get picked," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
<h2>India&rsquo;s updated squad for three-match ODI series against England</h2>
Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah (3rd ODI only)

Varun was added to India's squad for England ODIs after initially not being named. The inclusion comes after the spinner's 14 wickets in the T20Is against England. Cricket Sports

India skipper Rohit Sharma has spoken on the possibility of mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy being included in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad. Varun was added to India's squad for England ODIs after initially not being named. The inclusion comes after the spinner's 14-wicket Player of the Series performance in the T20Is against England. "Varun has certainly shown something different. I understand that it is a T20 format but he's clearly got something different about him. So we just wanted to have an option and see what we can do with him," Rohit said at the pre-match press conference on eve of first England ODI set to be played on Thursday (Feb 6). Also Read: India vs England 1st ODI Live Score and Update "If the series presents us an opportunity to play him at some stage and we will see what he's capable of. Right now, we are not thinking about whether we're going to take him (to Champions Trophy) or not. "But definitely, he will be in contention if things pan out really well for us and he does what is required," Rohit added. Recently, retired offie Ravi Ashwin also backed Chakaravarthy for making it to India's Champions Trophy squad. "We are all talking about whether he should have been there (Champions Trophy squad), I am thinking there is a chance he might be there. I have a feeling he might make it. There is a chance because all teams have named only a provisional squad. So, he might get picked," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. India’s updated squad for three-match ODI series against England Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah (3rd ODI only)

2025 Champions Trophy: 'He will be in...,' Rohit on Varun Chakaravarthy's inclusion in India squad

Former England batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kevin-pietersen">Kevin Pietersen</a> hailed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Varun Chakravarthy</a>&rsquo;s inclusion in India&rsquo;s ODI squad for the three-match series against England, calling it "a great decision." However, he backed the English batters to handle the spinner better in the longer format.
Chakravarthy was instrumental in India&rsquo;s 4-1 T20I series win over England, claiming 14 wickets. His impressive performance earned him a place in the ODI squad for the series, which begins in Nagpur on Thursday.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/2025-champions-trophy-match-tickets-schedule-venues-full-squads-team-news-latest-updates-today-feb-4-liveblog-8688762">HIGHLIGHTS | 2025 Champions Trophy: All latest updates and news February 4</a> "The English batters will find it easier against him in ODIs because they have more time to settle in. It&rsquo;s a longer format, where not every ball is an event. But I still think picking him is a great call," Pietersen said during the launch of Dram Bell Scotch Whisky.
Reflecting on England&rsquo;s T20I series loss, Pietersen termed it a "disaster" and suggested the outcome could have been different if a like-for-like concussion substitute had been used for Shivam Dube instead of fast bowler <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harshit-rana">Harshit Rana</a>.
"It was a disappointing series for England. In the fourth T20I, if the concussion substitution had been handled correctly, England might have won. That would have made it 2-2 going into the Wankhede, adding much more to the final game. But it didn&rsquo;t happen," he said.
Pietersen also heaped praise on young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma, crediting Yuvraj Singh&rsquo;s influence on him.
"Abhishek was outstanding. He had the shades on&hellip; You can see Yuvraj&rsquo;s impact on him. His knock was the best T20I innings I&rsquo;ve ever seen, and I told him that," Pietersen said.
"It was effortless. His stroke play was pure&mdash;no funky shots, no ramps, no reverse sweeps. Just perfection," he added, marveling at the Punjab left-hander&rsquo;s batting display.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: The former England batter also heaped praise on young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma, crediting Yuvraj Singh’s influence on him.

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen hailed Varun Chakravarthy’s inclusion in India’s ODI squad for the three-match series against England, calling it "a great decision." However, he backed the English batters to handle the spinner better in the longer format. Chakravarthy was instrumental in India’s 4-1 T20I series win over England, claiming 14 wickets. His impressive performance earned him a place in the ODI squad for the series, which begins in Nagpur on Thursday. Also Read: HIGHLIGHTS | 2025 Champions Trophy: All latest updates and news February 4 "The English batters will find it easier against him in ODIs because they have more time to settle in. It’s a longer format, where not every ball is an event. But I still think picking him is a great call," Pietersen said during the launch of Dram Bell Scotch Whisky. Reflecting on England’s T20I series loss, Pietersen termed it a "disaster" and suggested the outcome could have been different if a like-for-like concussion substitute had been used for Shivam Dube instead of fast bowler Harshit Rana. "It was a disappointing series for England. In the fourth T20I, if the concussion substitution had been handled correctly, England might have won. That would have made it 2-2 going into the Wankhede, adding much more to the final game. But it didn’t happen," he said. Pietersen also heaped praise on young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma, crediting Yuvraj Singh’s influence on him. "Abhishek was outstanding. He had the shades on… You can see Yuvraj’s impact on him. His knock was the best T20I innings I’ve ever seen, and I told him that," Pietersen said. "It was effortless. His stroke play was pure—no funky shots, no ramps, no reverse sweeps. Just perfection," he added, marveling at the Punjab left-hander’s batting display. (With inputs from agencies)

English batters will fare better against... in 50-over format: Kevin Pietersen

India's mystery spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy">Varun Chakaravarthy</a> has joined the India squad in Nagpur - venue of the first of three ODIs against England scheduled to be played on February 6. Varun was not part of the original squad which had Kuldeep Yadav as the only specialist spinner apart from three spin all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.
Varun joining the squad comes on the back of his Player of the Series performance in recently-concluded five T20Is against England. He ended up taking 14 wickets in the series - the most among both sides.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-a-question-for-them-england-skipper-jos-buttler-takes-another-dig-at-shivam-dube-8689253">'A question for them,' England skipper Jos Buttler takes another DIG at Shivam Dube</a>
His inclusion comes after coach Gautam Gambhir's insistence. Notably, Chakaravarthy also plays IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - a side Gambhir mentored to title in last season before becoming India coach. During that season, Chakravarthy had taken 21 wickets.
"Gambhir insisted on adding Varun Chakravarthy to India squad for England series," sources close to the development told WION.
"The Men&rsquo;s Selection Committee has added Varun Chakaravarthy to India&rsquo;s squad for the upcoming 3-match ODI series against England," read the official release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Recently, retired offie <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravi-ashwin">Ravi Ashwin</a> also backed Chakaravarthy for making it to India's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> squad as well.
"We are all talking about whether he should have been there (Champions Trophy squad), I am thinking there is a chance he might be there. I have a feeling he might make it. There is a chance because all teams have named only a provisional squad. So, he might get picked," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
<h2>India&rsquo;s updated squad for three-match ODI series against England</h2>
Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy

Varun's inclusion comes after coach Gambhir's insistence. Notably, Chakaravarthy also plays IPL for KKR - a side Gambhir mentored to title in last season. Cricket Sports

India's mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has joined the India squad in Nagpur - venue of the first of three ODIs against England scheduled to be played on February 6. Varun was not part of the original squad which had Kuldeep Yadav as the only specialist spinner apart from three spin all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. Varun joining the squad comes on the back of his Player of the Series performance in recently-concluded five T20Is against England. He ended up taking 14 wickets in the series - the most among both sides. Also Read: 'A question for them,' England skipper Jos Buttler takes another DIG at Shivam Dube His inclusion comes after coach Gautam Gambhir's insistence. Notably, Chakaravarthy also plays IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - a side Gambhir mentored to title in last season before becoming India coach. During that season, Chakravarthy had taken 21 wickets. "Gambhir insisted on adding Varun Chakravarthy to India squad for England series," sources close to the development told WION. "The Men’s Selection Committee has added Varun Chakaravarthy to India’s squad for the upcoming 3-match ODI series against England," read the official release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Recently, retired offie Ravi Ashwin also backed Chakaravarthy for making it to India's Champions Trophy squad as well. "We are all talking about whether he should have been there (Champions Trophy squad), I am thinking there is a chance he might be there. I have a feeling he might make it. There is a chance because all teams have named only a provisional squad. So, he might get picked," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. India’s updated squad for three-match ODI series against England Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy

IND vs ENG: Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy added to India ODI squad

India spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Varun Chakravarthy</a> on Sunday (Feb 3) opened up on his performance against England in the T20I series and said that this was the best he has bowled.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/abhishek-sharma">Abhishek Sharma</a>'s all-round performance in the match guided the hosts India to a historic victory over England in the fifth and final match of the series at the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. With this victory, India sealed the five-match series 4-1 after having already sealed the series.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Varun said that he was happy with his fielding efforts in the game on Sunday. The mystery spinner added that there's a lot of scope to improve on his bowling.
"I'm happy that the fielding also drew some applause, and the team has been emphasising on improving the fielding standards, and I've been working hard with the fielding coach Mr. Dilip. This is the best I've bowled, but lot of scope to improve, there were a few [bad] balls, I should not have bowled them. It was just a matter of bowling the right ball at the right time, that's what I was working on. This is very special, I would like to dedicate it to my son and my wife and my parents. I'd like to thank Surya and GG for backing me as well," Varun Chakravarthy was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-5th-t20i-i-had-the-belief-that-on-my-day-i-will-play-an-innings-like-this-says-abhishek-sharma-8685028">IND vs ENG 5th T20I: 'I had the belief that on my day, I will play an innings like this', says Abhishek Sharma</a>
<h2>Gambhir asserts India's fearless approach</h2>
India head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gautam-gambhir">Gautam Gambhir</a> on Sunday said he has not seen a 'better T20 hundred' than Abhisek Sharma&rsquo;s 54-ball 135 against England here and asserted that the team will continue to play in a 'fearless' manner going forward.
"We are going to do this going forward, got to play fearless cricket. We want to keep backing players like Abhishek Sharma. We have to be patient to with these boys. Most of these boys believe in the ideology of playing fearless cricket,&rdquo; Gambhir told the broadcasters.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Varun said that he was happy with his fielding efforts in the game on Sunday. The mystery spinner added that there's a lot of scope to improve on his bowling

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy on Sunday (Feb 3) opened up on his performance against England in the T20I series and said that this was the best he has bowled. Abhishek Sharma's all-round performance in the match guided the hosts India to a historic victory over England in the fifth and final match of the series at the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. With this victory, India sealed the five-match series 4-1 after having already sealed the series. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Varun said that he was happy with his fielding efforts in the game on Sunday. The mystery spinner added that there's a lot of scope to improve on his bowling. "I'm happy that the fielding also drew some applause, and the team has been emphasising on improving the fielding standards, and I've been working hard with the fielding coach Mr. Dilip. This is the best I've bowled, but lot of scope to improve, there were a few [bad] balls, I should not have bowled them. It was just a matter of bowling the right ball at the right time, that's what I was working on. This is very special, I would like to dedicate it to my son and my wife and my parents. I'd like to thank Surya and GG for backing me as well," Varun Chakravarthy was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying. Also Read: IND vs ENG 5th T20I: 'I had the belief that on my day, I will play an innings like this', says Abhishek Sharma Gambhir asserts India's fearless approach India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Sunday said he has not seen a 'better T20 hundred' than Abhisek Sharma’s 54-ball 135 against England here and asserted that the team will continue to play in a 'fearless' manner going forward. "We are going to do this going forward, got to play fearless cricket. We want to keep backing players like Abhishek Sharma. We have to be patient to with these boys. Most of these boys believe in the ideology of playing fearless cricket,” Gambhir told the broadcasters. (With inputs from agencies)

IND vs ENG 5th T20I: 'This is the best I've...', feels Varun Chakravarthy on his performance

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After helping India beat&nbsp;England in the T20I series opener by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens with an incredible 3/23, wrist-spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Varun Chakaravarthy</a> said that his focus will always be on making progress in his bowling, irrespective of the phase of the game he&rsquo;s in.&nbsp;
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Chakaravarthy&rsquo;s spell included him castling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook">Harry Brook</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/liam-livingstone">Liam Livingstone</a> in quick succession before taking out captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler">Jos Buttler</a> to break the back of England&rsquo;s batting as they were bundled out for 132.&nbsp;
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW253051287 BCX0">
&ldquo;95% of my focus is on myself because if I remove it from myself and put it on the batter, I'll miss my process and end up bowling a full toss or a short ball. Even if it's the death over or the powerplay, my focus remains on my process. I don't think much about what the batter is going to do, but it does run in the back of my mind," said Chakaravarthy in an interview with the digital broadcasters.&nbsp;
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW253051287 BCX0">
He also revealed he's trying to make his deliveries harder to predict by adding variations to the pace he bowls at, apart from continuing to bowl with over-spin. &ldquo;I've worked on trying to vary my pace. I don't want batters to line me up because I'm bowling at the same speed every ball. That's what I've worked on, and I'm trying to perfect it further.&rdquo; 
Chakravarthy signed off by expressing happiness over coming good at a venue he knows by the back of his hand, as&nbsp;it&rsquo;s the home ground of his IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very nice. Playing against England, a quality side, at Eden Gardens is challenging. It&rsquo;s a small ground. I was nervous in the morning looking at the pitch and the boundary size, but I thought if I stick to my process, I'll be able to do well."&nbsp;
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW253051287 BCX0">
India have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series and will take on England in the second T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25).&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
</div>

Cricket Sports: Chakaravarthy’s spell included him castling Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in quick succession before taking out captain Jos Buttler to break the back of England’s batting as they were bundled out for 132

After helping India beat England in the T20I series opener by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens with an incredible 3/23, wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy said that his focus will always be on making progress in his bowling, irrespective of the phase of the game he’s in. Chakaravarthy’s spell included him castling Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in quick succession before taking out captain Jos Buttler to break the back of England’s batting as they were bundled out for 132. “95% of my focus is on myself because if I remove it from myself and put it on the batter, I'll miss my process and end up bowling a full toss or a short ball. Even if it's the death over or the powerplay, my focus remains on my process. I don't think much about what the batter is going to do, but it does run in the back of my mind," said Chakaravarthy in an interview with the digital broadcasters. He also revealed he's trying to make his deliveries harder to predict by adding variations to the pace he bowls at, apart from continuing to bowl with over-spin. “I've worked on trying to vary my pace. I don't want batters to line me up because I'm bowling at the same speed every ball. That's what I've worked on, and I'm trying to perfect it further.” Chakravarthy signed off by expressing happiness over coming good at a venue he knows by the back of his hand, as it’s the home ground of his IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. “It’s very nice. Playing against England, a quality side, at Eden Gardens is challenging. It’s a small ground. I was nervous in the morning looking at the pitch and the boundary size, but I thought if I stick to my process, I'll be able to do well." India have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series and will take on England in the second T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25). (With inputs from agencies)

'95% of my focus is on myself', says wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy

Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 47 off 41 balls, and Gerald Coetzee remained not out on 19 to help South Africa recover from middle-over collapse drama to win the second T20I against India by three wickets and level the series 1-1. For India, Varun Chakaravarthy picked five wickets.&nbsp;

South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first in Gqeberha, making the most of the conditions upfront by removing the last-game hero Sanju Samson on a second-ball duck. Gerald Coetzee removed Abhishek Sharma in the second over, with Captain Suryakumar Yadav falling shortly after on four.&nbsp;

Tilak Varma and Axar Patel steadied the ship with a 30-run stand but failed to prolong it further, as Proteas skipper Aiden Markram provided the breakthrough to reduce India to 45 for four inside eight overs.&nbsp;

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Axar Patel continued from where he had left in the T20 World Cup against the same opponents, hitting a quick-fire 27 off 21 before getting run out. Tough&nbsp;batting conditions kept the Indians quiet until Hardik Pandya decided to open his arms late in the innings to propel the visitors to a fighting total.&nbsp;

With four fours and a six, Pandya remained unbeaten on 39 off 45 balls, as India 124 for six in 20 overs.

<h2>Varun on top against Proteas</h2>

Chasing a modest total, South Africa got off to a flyer but lost open Ryan Rickelton to Arshdeep Singh inside the third over.&nbsp;

With the Proteas flying high in the run chase, India needed some magic to get back to the game, and with that, SKY introduced Varun Chakaravarthy to the attack.

The right-arm mystery spinner, who picked three in the first game, returned with five wickets in this. Varun tore into the&nbsp;Proteas’ middle order, removing Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller off successive deliveries.

With South Africa’s back against the wall, the unlikely pair of Stubbs and Coetzee held ends to put some pressure back on India. With Varun completing his quota of four overs and Ravi Bishnoi done with his, following removing South Africa’s Andile Simelane in his last, the batting duo took the attack to the pacers to see the team home.&nbsp;

Stubbs hit the winning run as South Africa won the match with one over and three wickets remaining.&nbsp;

The Supersport Park in Centurion will host the third game on Wednesday (Nov 13).&nbsp;

Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 47 off 41 balls, and Gerald Coetzee remained not out on 19 to help South Africa recover from middle-over collapse drama to win the second T20I against India by three wickets and level the series 1-1.

Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 47 off 41 balls, and Gerald Coetzee remained not out on 19 to help South Africa recover from middle-over collapse drama to win the second T20I against India by three wickets and level the series 1-1. For India, Varun Chakaravarthy picked five wickets. South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first in Gqeberha, making the most of the conditions upfront by removing the last-game hero Sanju Samson on a second-ball duck. Gerald Coetzee removed Abhishek Sharma in the second over, with Captain Suryakumar Yadav falling shortly after on four. Tilak Varma and Axar Patel steadied the ship with a 30-run stand but failed to prolong it further, as Proteas skipper Aiden Markram provided the breakthrough to reduce India to 45 for four inside eight overs. ALSO READ: ICC informs Pakistan of no India presence at Champions Trophy; PCB to boycott playing Men in Blue in response Axar Patel continued from where he had left in the T20 World Cup against the same opponents, hitting a quick-fire 27 off 21 before getting run out. Tough batting conditions kept the Indians quiet until Hardik Pandya decided to open his arms late in the innings to propel the visitors to a fighting total. With four fours and a six, Pandya remained unbeaten on 39 off 45 balls, as India 124 for six in 20 overs. Varun on top against Proteas Chasing a modest total, South Africa got off to a flyer but lost open Ryan Rickelton to Arshdeep Singh inside the third over. With the Proteas flying high in the run chase, India needed some magic to get back to the game, and with that, SKY introduced Varun Chakaravarthy to the attack. The right-arm mystery spinner, who picked three in the first game, returned with five wickets in this. Varun tore into the Proteas’ middle order, removing Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller off successive deliveries. With South Africa’s back against the wall, the unlikely pair of Stubbs and Coetzee held ends to put some pressure back on India. With Varun completing his quota of four overs and Ravi Bishnoi done with his, following removing South Africa’s Andile Simelane in his last, the batting duo took the attack to the pacers to see the team home. Stubbs hit the winning run as South Africa won the match with one over and three wickets remaining. The Supersport Park in Centurion will host the third game on Wednesday (Nov 13).

SA vs IND 2024, 2nd T20I: Tristan Stubbs’ 47* powers South Africa to level series after Varun’s heroics

India opener Sanju Samson scored a sparkling century as the tourists beat South Africa by 61 runs in the first match of a four-game Twenty20 series at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

South Africa asked India to bat and the visitors posted 202 for eight in their 20 overs, before restricting their hosts to 141 all out in 17.5 overs for a comprehensive victory.

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India’s total was boosted by a brilliant 107 from 50 balls by Samson but the innings did stall towards the end.

Samson smashed 10 sixes and seven fours as he tore into the bowling at the small Kingsmead ground. He rattled along at a strike rate of 214, providing more than half his team’s total.

At 167-2 in the 15th over, India looked on course for a score well in excess of 200, but managed only another 35 runs in 32 balls for the loss of six wickets after Tilak Varma was dismissed for 33.

Seamers Marco Jansen (1-24 in four overs) and Gerald Coetzee (3-37) were the pick of the home attack.

India’s legbreak bowlers stifled the South African reply as their innings never managed to gain momentum.

Varun Chakravarthy took 3-25 as he picked up the key wickets of Heinrich Klaasen (25) and David Miller (18), while Ravi Bishnoi recorded figures of 3-28.

The second match of the series will be played in Gqeberha on Sunday.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

India opener Sanju Samson scored a sparkling century as the tourists beat South Africa by 61 runs in the first match of a four-game Twenty20 series at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

India opener Sanju Samson scored a sparkling century as the tourists beat South Africa by 61 runs in the first match of a four-game Twenty20 series at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday. South Africa asked India to bat and the visitors posted 202 for eight in their 20 overs, before restricting their hosts to 141 all out in 17.5 overs for a comprehensive victory. ALSO READ: Foes to friends: When Merv Hughes rescued Ian Botham from crocodile-infested water India’s total was boosted by a brilliant 107 from 50 balls by Samson but the innings did stall towards the end. Samson smashed 10 sixes and seven fours as he tore into the bowling at the small Kingsmead ground. He rattled along at a strike rate of 214, providing more than half his team’s total. At 167-2 in the 15th over, India looked on course for a score well in excess of 200, but managed only another 35 runs in 32 balls for the loss of six wickets after Tilak Varma was dismissed for 33. Seamers Marco Jansen (1-24 in four overs) and Gerald Coetzee (3-37) were the pick of the home attack. India’s legbreak bowlers stifled the South African reply as their innings never managed to gain momentum. Varun Chakravarthy took 3-25 as he picked up the key wickets of Heinrich Klaasen (25) and David Miller (18), while Ravi Bishnoi recorded figures of 3-28. The second match of the series will be played in Gqeberha on Sunday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sanju Samson’s 107 lifts India to win over South Africa in Durban T20I

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were back to winning ways in the Indian Premier League (IPL&nbsp;2024) after they beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. The contest at Eden Gardens was a low-scoring affair compared to the recent trend of high-scoring matches in IPL 2024.&nbsp;Phil Salt was the&nbsp;main&nbsp;man for KKR&nbsp;as he scored&nbsp;68 runs off 33 balls to help steer his side to the win.&nbsp;However, Varun Chakaravarthy, having ended with three&nbsp;wickets&nbsp;credited his fellow bowlers rather than batter for the convincing&nbsp;win.&nbsp;

<h2>Varun credits bowlers</h2>

"That has been the trend&nbsp;and&nbsp;if you see Eden Gardens, everyone wants to post big totals&nbsp;and&nbsp;they have a positive intent. I can't say that it's wrong&nbsp;but&nbsp;I feel our bowlers in the powerplay, they&nbsp;bowled brilliantly.&nbsp;like&nbsp;how Starc and Vaibhav bowled. So we have to give it to our bowlers this time," Varun said.

"If they would have scored 190 or 200...&nbsp;I felt it was around 185 to 190 pitch; if they had scored&nbsp;that&nbsp;anything&nbsp;could have happened."

Despite seeing high-scoring games in the IPL 2024 at Eden Gardens, the Monday affair saw bowlers dominate&nbsp;as Varun&nbsp;ended with figures of 16/3 in his four&nbsp;overs&nbsp;while Vaibhav Arora and Harshi Rana&nbsp;both&nbsp;ended&nbsp;with two wickets each.&nbsp;Mitchell Starc was expensive yet again and gave away 43 runs in three overs in return for one wicket.&nbsp;

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<h2>KKR on brink of Playoff qualification</h2>

KKR are on the brink of Playoff qualification after hammering DC by seven wickets to inch another step towards the last four. As things stand, the former champions have six wins in nine matches and reside second in the standings with 12 points. With five&nbsp;matches&nbsp;still to play in the league stage, KKR need two more wins to guarantee a top four finish in a tightly contested IPL 2024.&nbsp;However, the franchise will try to push for a top-two finish&nbsp;which&nbsp;would guarantee&nbsp;them two chances to make the final in Chennai on May 26.&nbsp;

KKR are next in action on Friday (April 3) when they face Mumbai Indians at the Wakkhede Stadium.&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were back to winning ways in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) after they beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. The contest at Eden Gardens was a low-scoring affair compared to the recent trend of high-scoring matches in IPL 2024.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were back to winning ways in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) after they beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. The contest at Eden Gardens was a low-scoring affair compared to the recent trend of high-scoring matches in IPL 2024. Phil Salt was the main man for KKR as he scored 68 runs off 33 balls to help steer his side to the win. However, Varun Chakaravarthy, having ended with three wickets credited his fellow bowlers rather than batter for the convincing win. Varun credits bowlers "That has been the trend and if you see Eden Gardens, everyone wants to post big totals and they have a positive intent. I can't say that it's wrong but I feel our bowlers in the powerplay, they bowled brilliantly. like how Starc and Vaibhav bowled. So we have to give it to our bowlers this time," Varun said. "If they would have scored 190 or 200... I felt it was around 185 to 190 pitch; if they had scored that anything could have happened." Despite seeing high-scoring games in the IPL 2024 at Eden Gardens, the Monday affair saw bowlers dominate as Varun ended with figures of 16/3 in his four overs while Vaibhav Arora and Harshi Rana both ended with two wickets each. Mitchell Starc was expensive yet again and gave away 43 runs in three overs in return for one wicket. ALSO READ | USA, Mexico withdraw joint bid to host 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup KKR on brink of Playoff qualification KKR are on the brink of Playoff qualification after hammering DC by seven wickets to inch another step towards the last four. As things stand, the former champions have six wins in nine matches and reside second in the standings with 12 points. With five matches still to play in the league stage, KKR need two more wins to guarantee a top four finish in a tightly contested IPL 2024. However, the franchise will try to push for a top-two finish which would guarantee them two chances to make the final in Chennai on May 26. KKR are next in action on Friday (April 3) when they face Mumbai Indians at the Wakkhede Stadium.

IPL 2024: Not Phil Salt, Varun Chakaravarthy credits Mitchell Starc and Co for KKR's dominant win over DC

Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023: Rinku Singh stands tall in Kolkata's average campaign

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has praised Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Varun Chakravarthy after he produced a match-winning spell in the Indian Premier League (IPL) contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, May 4. Varun gave away 12 runs in his final three overs while he defended 10 runs in the final over to win the contest for KKR. The win kept KKR in the hunt for a playoff place as they now have eight points to their name, two points off fourth placed Rajasthan Royals.

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Varun da, that was all of us. 🫣 You did well! 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRHvKKR</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmiKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmiKKR</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/chakaravarthy29?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chakaravarthy29</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q0QVjphCWw">pic.twitter.com/Q0QVjphCWw</a>
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"Varun Chakravarthy bowled tight lines all along the death overs against SRH. He changed his angle and showed confidence in the final over to defend 8 runs. It was good captaincy from Nitish Rana as well for giving the ball to Varun,” Harbhajan said while speaking to Star Sports.

The match-winning spell saw KKR register their fourth win of the season and will look to make the playoffs. Chasing 172, Sunrisers Hyderabad was off to a solid start. But Harshit Rana disrupted the chase by dismissing Mayank Agarwal for 18 off 11 balls. SRH was at 29/1 in 2.5 overs.

"My heartbeat was definitely touching 200 [beats per minute] but I just wanted to challenge them on the longer end so that was my plan. The ball was slipping a lot and so my best bet was the longer side. That was the only thing in my mind," Chakravarthy told the broadcaster.

Abhishek Sharma was also dismissed for nine runs by Shardul Thakur after he was caught by Andre Russell at deep backward square. SRH was at 37/2 in 3.5 overs. SRH reached the 50-run mark in 5.2 overs.

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While SRH needed 26 off 18 balls, Vaibhav dismissed Marco Jansen for just 1. SRH was reduced to 152/7 in 18.2 overs. Gurbaz took a brilliant catch to dismiss Jansen. A no-ball from Vaibhav and a total of 12 runs conceded in the 19th over left SRH with nine runs in the final over to win.

After a single and a bye, Samad was caught near the boundary for 21 off 18 balls. SRH was at 165/8 in 19.3 overs, needing seven in three balls.

SRH failed to complete the chase, finishing at 166/8 in 20 overs. KKR won the match by five runs.

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Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has praised Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Varun Chakravarthy after he produced a match-winning spell in the Indian Premier League (IPL) contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, May 4.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has praised Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Varun Chakravarthy after he produced a match-winning spell in the Indian Premier League (IPL) contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, May 4. Varun gave away 12 runs in his final three overs while he defended 10 runs in the final over to win the contest for KKR. The win kept KKR in the hunt for a playoff place as they now have eight points to their name, two points off fourth placed Rajasthan Royals. Varun da, that was all of us. 🫣 You did well! 👏#SRHvKKR | #AmiKKR | @chakaravarthy29 pic.twitter.com/Q0QVjphCWw — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 5, 2023 × "Varun Chakravarthy bowled tight lines all along the death overs against SRH. He changed his angle and showed confidence in the final over to defend 8 runs. It was good captaincy from Nitish Rana as well for giving the ball to Varun,” Harbhajan said while speaking to Star Sports. The match-winning spell saw KKR register their fourth win of the season and will look to make the playoffs. Chasing 172, Sunrisers Hyderabad was off to a solid start. But Harshit Rana disrupted the chase by dismissing Mayank Agarwal for 18 off 11 balls. SRH was at 29/1 in 2.5 overs. "My heartbeat was definitely touching 200 [beats per minute] but I just wanted to challenge them on the longer end so that was my plan. The ball was slipping a lot and so my best bet was the longer side. That was the only thing in my mind," Chakravarthy told the broadcaster. Abhishek Sharma was also dismissed for nine runs by Shardul Thakur after he was caught by Andre Russell at deep backward square. SRH was at 37/2 in 3.5 overs. SRH reached the 50-run mark in 5.2 overs. ALSO READ | Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is likely to host India vs Pakistan 2023 World Cup clash - Reports While SRH needed 26 off 18 balls, Vaibhav dismissed Marco Jansen for just 1. SRH was reduced to 152/7 in 18.2 overs. Gurbaz took a brilliant catch to dismiss Jansen. A no-ball from Vaibhav and a total of 12 runs conceded in the 19th over left SRH with nine runs in the final over to win. After a single and a bye, Samad was caught near the boundary for 21 off 18 balls. SRH was at 165/8 in 19.3 overs, needing seven in three balls. SRH failed to complete the chase, finishing at 166/8 in 20 overs. KKR won the match by five runs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Harbhajan Singh showers praise on KKR star Varun Chakaravarthy after match-winning spell

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30).&nbsp;

This will be the second game for both the franchises in the 15th season. While the new edition has just began, KKR will be confident with their spirited start as they romped past the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Everything clicked for the KKR unit, with early strikes from the pacers to spinners choking the CSK batters before their batters led them to an easy win.&nbsp;

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If one has to be critical and point out a few flaws, KKR bowlers did go for a few in the last few overs as CSK managed to post 131 for 5. At one stage, it seemed they would be restricted to anything below 120. On the other hand, KKR closed the run-chase in the penultimate over. Nonetheless, it was a big win and the newly-formed KKR franchise made a statement in their first encounter.&nbsp;

On the other hand, similar problems persist&nbsp;with the RCB franchise. The three-time runners-up rode on fine knocks from skipper Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32 not out to post 205-2 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first in their season-opener versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Nonetheless, their death-bowling didn't stand up as RCB conceded the game in the final over, losing by five wickets.

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Match prediction for KKR vs RCB clash:&nbsp;The venue is expected to remain good&nbsp;for batters. Expect some big hits from the likes of Faf, Kohli, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, etc. Both teams will fancy bowling first. If RCB lose the toss and are made to bowl second, their death-bowling will once again be challenged. On the other hand, KKR have variety in their bowling department, which gives them a certain edge for the encounter.

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30).

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30). This will be the second game for both the franchises in the 15th season. While the new edition has just began, KKR will be confident with their spirited start as they romped past the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Everything clicked for the KKR unit, with early strikes from the pacers to spinners choking the CSK batters before their batters led them to an easy win. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: RR captain Sanju Samson gives cheeky reply to Danny Marrison's title-drought question post SRH win If one has to be critical and point out a few flaws, KKR bowlers did go for a few in the last few overs as CSK managed to post 131 for 5. At one stage, it seemed they would be restricted to anything below 120. On the other hand, KKR closed the run-chase in the penultimate over. Nonetheless, it was a big win and the newly-formed KKR franchise made a statement in their first encounter. On the other hand, similar problems persist with the RCB franchise. The three-time runners-up rode on fine knocks from skipper Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32 not out to post 205-2 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first in their season-opener versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Nonetheless, their death-bowling didn't stand up as RCB conceded the game in the final over, losing by five wickets. ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad clash Match prediction for KKR vs RCB clash: The venue is expected to remain good for batters. Expect some big hits from the likes of Faf, Kohli, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, etc. Both teams will fancy bowling first. If RCB lose the toss and are made to bowl second, their death-bowling will once again be challenged. On the other hand, KKR have variety in their bowling department, which gives them a certain edge for the encounter.

RCB vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?

5 points: What went wrong for India at T20 World Cup 2021

India's fate in T20 World Cup 2021 will be decided even before they take the field against Namibia in their final Super 12 clash at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Monday (November 07). India's hopes rest on the shoulders of Afghanistan, who&nbsp;are in a must-win situation against the Kiwis.

Heading into the game, New Zealand are placed second in the Group 2 table while India are placed third with a slightly better net run rate than Afghanistan, who are at the fourth spot with as many points as India (4) from four matches. If New Zealand beat Afghanistan they will finish second in the group and qualify for the semis.

However, if Afghanistan manage to pull off an upset agains New Zealand, they will give both themselves and India a chance to become the second team from the group to reach the semis while dumping the Kiwis out of the tournament.

India's eyes will be on the result of the Afghanistan-New Zealand game, however, they would want to finish their Super 12 campaign with a win against Namibia irrespective of the result of the first game on Sunday. After facing back-to-back defeats in their first two matches, India have bounced back strongly with two big wins against Afghanistan and Scotland in their last two games to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

The Virat Kohli-led side will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak to three matches against Namibia on Monday. The batting line-up is unlikely to be changed as both openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have looked in great touch while the likes of Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya have also fired with the willow.

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In the bowling department, Kohli might be tempted to play Rahul Chahar in place of Varun Chakaravarthy, who has struggled to pick wickets so far in the tournament. Shardul Thakur might also come in for the right-arm spinner giving India an extra pace option against Namibia.

However, Kohli might not want to change the winning combination from India's clinical 8-wicket win against New Zealand in their last game and would be looking to continue the winning momentum.

India's predicted playing XI for Namibia game in T20 World Cup 2021:

Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah&nbsp;

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India's fate in T20 World Cup 2021 will be decided even before they take the field against Namibia in their final Super 12 clash at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Monday (November 07).

India's fate in T20 World Cup 2021 will be decided even before they take the field against Namibia in their final Super 12 clash at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Monday (November 07). India's hopes rest on the shoulders of Afghanistan, who are in a must-win situation against the Kiwis. Heading into the game, New Zealand are placed second in the Group 2 table while India are placed third with a slightly better net run rate than Afghanistan, who are at the fourth spot with as many points as India (4) from four matches. If New Zealand beat Afghanistan they will finish second in the group and qualify for the semis. However, if Afghanistan manage to pull off an upset agains New Zealand, they will give both themselves and India a chance to become the second team from the group to reach the semis while dumping the Kiwis out of the tournament. India's eyes will be on the result of the Afghanistan-New Zealand game, however, they would want to finish their Super 12 campaign with a win against Namibia irrespective of the result of the first game on Sunday. After facing back-to-back defeats in their first two matches, India have bounced back strongly with two big wins against Afghanistan and Scotland in their last two games to keep their semi-final hopes alive. The Virat Kohli-led side will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak to three matches against Namibia on Monday. The batting line-up is unlikely to be changed as both openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have looked in great touch while the likes of Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya have also fired with the willow. Also Read: What India, New Zealand & Afghanistan need to do to qualify for T20 World Cup 2021 semi-finals In the bowling department, Kohli might be tempted to play Rahul Chahar in place of Varun Chakaravarthy, who has struggled to pick wickets so far in the tournament. Shardul Thakur might also come in for the right-arm spinner giving India an extra pace option against Namibia. However, Kohli might not want to change the winning combination from India's clinical 8-wicket win against New Zealand in their last game and would be looking to continue the winning momentum. India's predicted playing XI for Namibia game in T20 World Cup 2021: Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah