Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a critical piece of strategic advice to the Indian team management, specifically cautioning head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav regarding the utilization of mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in the upcoming fixtures against South Africa and New Zealand.
Ashwin, a strategic thinker in the sport, stressed that the team should avoid “overexposing” the 34-year-old spinner to keep his ‘mystery’ intact for the vital T20 World Cup 2026.
The Rationale Behind the Caution
Varun Chakaravarthy boasts impressive T20I figures, having scalped 45 wickets in 29 matches with a best of 5/17. He is heavily tipped to play a crucial role in India’s campaign to defend its title at the T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
Ashwin’s core argument, voiced on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, revolves around tactical concealment:
“We shouldn’t overexpose Varun Chakaravarthy. We shouldn’t do that. One should save him. We will be playing against South Africa and New Zealand, and we can possibly play against these teams in the T20 World Cup. Varun’s mystery is a big factor. He has been playing for many years, but he’s still able to hold his own,” Ashwin stated.
Managing the Spin Partnership
Ashwin acknowledged that Varun and fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav possess the potential to form a “formidable partnership” on spin-friendly tracks. However, he advised against consistently fielding both together in the lead-up to the World Cup.
His strategy is focused on preventing key rivals from acclimating to their primary spin threat:
“But exposing both Kuldeep and Varun in large quantities is something I’ll refrain from. I think eventually they have to play together in the World Cup, but not overexposing the mystery of Varun, because these teams can face us in the knockouts of the T20 World Cup,” he explained.
Ashwin concluded with a blunt warning: “Don’t give them enough time to figure him out. The more they play against him, they will also have a chance of figuring it out. Mystery should remain mystery.”
The Road to the World Cup
The upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, which commences on Tuesday, December 9 in Cuttack, is followed by another five-match series against New Zealand next year. These 10 matches are considered the primary dress rehearsal for the World Cup.
The series is also notable for the return of key players for the hosts, as Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya are both back in the squad after recovering from respective injuries.