SA vs IND 2024: Aakash Chopra lauds Varun Chakravarthy after five-for, analyses his bowling variation

Varun Chakravarthy has been phenomenal ever since he returned in the shortest format. He picked up five wickets in the three-match series against Bangladesh and improved himself against South Africa. In the first T20I, the mystery spinner picked up a three-wicket haul and in the second game in Gqeberha, he stunned the Proteas with a five-wicket haul but unfortunately, India failed to secure a win.

South Africa restricted the visitors to 124 runs in the first T20I and the Suryakumar Yadav-led side needed something extraordinary in the second T20I and that’s what Varun provided. He cleaned up the batting order by picking up the wickets of Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, and with that, South Africa were put on the back foot. However, Tristan Stubbs saved the day, scoring unbeaten 47 runs as South Africa level the series.

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Meanwhile, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra was also impressed by Varun’s performance and analysed his bowling variation. He noted that the Chennai-born has good googlies in his arsenal and can also bowl slow in the air like Yuzvendra Chahal, which the batters often fail to read.

“He was absolutely sensational - five wickets. He has dismissed Heinrich Klaasen twice in two games. He has dismissed David Miller twice in two games. He hit (Aiden) Markram's stumps. He bowls googlies and at the stumps. He is absolutely outstanding. He is bowling slow in the air. It's the antithesis of what spinners usually do in international cricket, especially in the T20 format. Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) bowls slow and Varun Chakaravarthy also does that. He also finishes the ball within the three stumps with subtle variations,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“He bowls a sort of leg-cutter and a googly. He bowls only two kinds of balls but bowls with accuracy. He doesn't bowl too short or too full, and then the change of pace. Ravi Bishnoi also keeps the ball within the three stumps but he is very fast in the air. People are able to play the bowlers who bowl fast these days because they are used to that,” he added.