Indian team captain Rohit Sharma has come to the defense of Varun Chakraborty, whose last-minute inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad raised a few eyebrows. Chakraborty replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite a somewhat underwhelming performance in the ODI series against England. Sharma’s vote of confidence in the young spinner is a testament to the team’s faith in his abilities.
Why Chakraborty was chosen
Before the match against Bangladesh, Sharma shared his thoughts on Chakraborty’s selection. According to Sharma, Chakraborty possesses a unique ability that sets him apart, which is why he was chosen for the squad. Over the last 8-9 months, Chakraborty has consistently delivered impressive performances, earning him a spot in the Indian ODI squad. The team is eager to see him bring his skills to the big stage and make a significant impact for India. Sharma also jokingly noted that Chakraborty didn’t showcase his full range of variations during net practice, perhaps deliberately keeping them under wraps.
Upcoming matches
The Indian team is set to begin their Champions Trophy campaign today, with a match against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium, scheduled to start at 2:30 pm Indian time. Their next match will be against Pakistan on February 23, followed by a face-off against New Zealand on March 2 in their final league match. The Champions Trophy kicked off on Wednesday, with New Zealand securing a 60-run win over hosts Pakistan in the opening match. It will be interesting to see how Chakraborty performs and whether he can justify the team’s faith in him.