Can Varun Chakravarthy remedy India’s ‘Head-ache’ to avenge Ahmedabad heartbreak?
The stage is about for one more epic conflict between the 2 heavyweights of worldwide cricket as India and Australia are set to lock horns within the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India as soon as once more head into the knockout phases following a script which is harking back to their ODI World Cup 2023 marketing campaign. The Rohit Sharma-led aspect is once more trying like an indomitable pressure that’s crushing each opponent coming of their means.
Therefore, to cease the Indian juggernaut, it could require a herculean effort from the opposition to outclass the Males in Blue in beneficial circumstances of Dubai. Nevertheless, very like the World Cup 2023, India will as soon as once more face their previous nemesis Australia, who’ve been the rationale behind their quite a few downfalls in ICC occasions. Regardless of not having most of their first-choice gamers, the Steve Smith-led aspect is nicely on target so as to add one other ICC Trophy to their glittering cupboard.
As India put together to tackle the mighty Aussies, they must discover a answer to their ‘Head-ache’ – pun meant – given by the Australian batter Travis Head in current occasions. The opening batter crushed the dream of a billion folks together with his match-winning century within the ultimate of the ODI World Cup 2023 and silenced the Ahmedabad crowd as promised by his captain Pat Cummins the day earlier than.
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Travis Head: India’s nemesis throughout codecs
Head has been the thorn in India’s flesh since 2023 together with his super exploits throughout codecs. Within the 16 matches (23 innings) performed towards his favorite opposition in all three codecs since March 1, 2023, Head has scored 1205 runs at a median of 60.25 and a strike price of 97.41 with 4 lots of and as many fifties.
Be it the World Check Championship Remaining (WTC), ODI World Cup ultimate, T20 World Cup or the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Head has not spared India in any respect, butchering their bowling assault again and again together with his flashing blade. With one other rendezvous set with India’s Kryptonite, the Males in Blue desperately have to discover a method to cease him.
India unleashed their thriller spinner Varun Chakravarthy of their ultimate group fixture of the Champions Trophy towards New Zealand. The wrist-spinner lived as much as the expectations of the staff administration by scalping a five-wicket haul, taking part in simply his second ODI. Chakravarthy has made a robust case for his choice within the semi-final as nicely, as he continues to bamboozle the batters together with his spin-wizardry.
With a lot of the Australian batters having not confronted Chakravarthy, the wrist spinner may nicely trigger issues for his or her star-studded batting line-up and may additionally transform the remedy for India’s ‘Head-ache’. Chakravarthy is on a speedy rise in worldwide cricket ever since his comeback to the Indian aspect in October 2024, having picked up 31 wickets from 12 T20Is at an astonishing common of 11.25 and an economic system of seven.58. The 33-year-old has made even the fiercest hitters of the cricket ball seem like novices, leaving them dumbfounded by his variations.
Can Varun Chakravarthy cease Head’s mayhem?
Therefore, with India all set to face Travis Head with out their star bowler Jasprit Bumrah, may Varun Chakravarthy be their finest wager to dismiss him cheaply? The Indian bowlers have tried every part of their arsenal to see the again of Head with a low rating towards his identify. Nevertheless, the swashbuckling batter has managed to outlive probably the most hostile spells as he continued to dictate phrases together with his belligerent strokeplay.
In his worldwide profession to date, Head has been dismissed 54 occasions towards spin at a median of 37.14, which is barely higher than his common towards tempo (36.09). In ODIs, Head has misplaced his wicket 20 occasions towards spin however boasts a wholesome common of 43.50. From the outset, it may appear that India’s gamble of feeding Chakravarthy to Head early on in his innings won’t yield a superb consequence.
Nevertheless, the truth that Head has by no means confronted him in his profession and given Chakravarthy’s present type, it’s a bet price taking by captain Rohit Sharma. Furthermore, the southpaw appears fidgety on the crease early on in his innings and the variations of the Indian spinner may nicely catch him off-guard.
Therefore, India can financial institution on the golden arm of Varun Chakravarthy to finish their distress attributable to the villain, who ruined their fairytale ending on 19th November 2023 in entrance of over 1.3 lakh folks. It will be the right redemption for the wrist-spinner after he was made a scapegoat of India’s worst-ever T20 World Cup marketing campaign in 2021 as he went wicketless all through the event.
Head is hungry to pounce on his favorite prey, which was evident in his earlier innings towards Afghanistan as he scored a quick-fire fifty (59* off 40). The swashbuckling batter is all able to spoil India’s get together as soon as once more, and it’s as much as Varun Chakravarthy and his teammates to discover a remedy for his or her ‘Head-ache’.
