Reports: Fitness issues could dent Varun Chakravarthy's T20 World Cup plans

With the T20 World Cup 2021 coming closer with each passing day, team managements are busy planning and strategizing. The global tournament will get underway on October 17 with all the matches taking place in UAE and Oman. Having done well in the shortest international format lately, India are touted one of the favourites to lift the title. However, the team has some issues to resolve ahead of the tournament.

With Hardik Pandya not bowling in IPL 2021 due to fitness issues, it would be interesting to see whether he plays as a pure batter or not. Besides this, Varun Chakravarthy’s fitness issues might also put Team India in a spot of bother. The mystery leg-spinner has been pretty impressive for Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. However, a dodgy knee can derail his World Cup plans.

As per the latest developments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to add some more players in the team as net bowlers. Umran Malik and Harshal Patel are in the reckoning to join the team after the IPL.

Varun Chakravarthy can be in the team if his fitness issues can be managed

“Chakravarthy was selected because he was fit to play. If his injury can be managed through the World Cup, he will certainly be in the team,” a top BCCI official told the Times of India on Saturday. Notably, Chakravarthy is one of the four spin-bowling options alongside Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul Chahar.

With Ashwin and Chahar not being among the wickets in the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup, several fans and experts believe Yuzvendra Chahal, who was initially omitted from the squad, should be included after his phenomenal chow in IPL 2021. However, the source said no decision on Chahal’s inclusion has been taken yet.

“No decision has been taken on Chahal. It’s unfortunate that Mumbai Indians had dropped Rahul Chahar from the playing XI. If Chahal will be asked to stay back as a cover will be decided once the selectors and team management discuss the situation,” the official said. Meanwhile, India will kick-start their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24.

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