The dilemma regarding the Kuldeep Yadav vs Varun Chakravarthy debate continues. In the IND vs ENG 2nd ODI at Cuttack, it was Chakravarthy who made his debut in the 50-over format. He went on to replace Kuldeep who was rested for the game. Meanwhile, former India Cricket Team star Suresh Raina has claimed that India should go with Kuldeep over Varun.
Varun Chakravarthy‘s rise in international cricket has been huge. He made his return to Team India back in 2024 after a gap of almost 3 years. since then he has performed well in T20Is. The biggest showdown came in the IND vs ENG T20I series where he was the highest wicket-taker, scalping 14 wickets from 5 games.
Such a huge performance saw him get a call-up in the ODI setup, and now he made his debut. At Cuttack, he dispatched Phil Salt, bagging a solitary wicket for 53 runs from 10 overs. But Suresh Raina believes that Kuldeep’s experience in international cricket makes him better than Chakravarthy.
“I think Varun is more used to bowling in T20Is for now, while Kuldeep has variety and wicket-taking ability. Most importantly, he rises to the occasion in big tournaments. I still remember the way he clean bowled Babar Azam in the ODI World Cup 2019. He has a different skill in his hands, Kuldeep carries massive experience with him of playing big matches,” Suresh Raina said on Star Sports.
Also Read:
- Gambhir under pressure? India assistant coach admits ‘desperation’ to win ODI series after Test whitewash
- 5 star players who can go unsold at IPL 2026 auction
- Is India vs Pakistan battle dipping in popularity? Google data suggests so
In the meantime, Kuldeep Yadav has been India’s go-to specialist spinner in ICC events. The ace leggie is a part of the IND vs ENG ODI setup and has been added to India’s provisional squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. It remains to be seen if Varun too gets added to the final squad or not.
As things stand, Kuldeep certainly enjoys the confidence and the backing of the board and the captain for his immaculate experience he has gained over the years by playing international cricket.
