The New Zealand cricket team would be wary of Varun Chakaravarthy in the ICC Champions Trophy Final. Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and BlackCaps head coach Mike Hesson feels that due to the mystery spinner, Mitchell Santner and co. would like to bat first in the India vs. New Zealand match.
Batting first will be New Zealand’s blueprint for success
Hesson first talked about how the Kiwis batted first against South Africa in the second semifinal and were able to defend the target. They chased in Dubai against India in the group stage match and fell short by 44 runs. So, by choosing to chase once again in Dubai, they would make the same mistake.
“I think at the toss, from a tactical point of view, New Zealand will want to bat first, and they will want to do what they did against South Africa in the semifinal,” Hesson told Cricbuzz.
Varun Chakaravarthy threat in the ICC Champions Trophy Final
However, the veteran coach feels that the bigger reason why New Zealand would want to bat first will be Varun Chakaravarthy. Although the 33-year-old has played just matches, the time he bowled second, he got a five-wicket haul. Again, it was the same match against New Zealand, but the point stands.
While chasing, Kiwis might have to play aggressively against Chakaravarthy, which could mean they lose more wickets. However, if they bat first, then they can play him out. They have attacked other bowlers and taken a defensive approach against the mystery spinner.
“The reason why I say that is because of this man here, Varun Chakaravarthy,” Hesson added.
Varun Chakaravarthy stats in ICC Champions Trophy
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Figures |
| 2 | 7 | 13 | 4.55 | 17.14 | 5/42 |
