He conceded 64 runs in the semi-final against England.
The defending champions India will be gunning for the back-to-back titles when they take field against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final on Sunday. However, one of the concerns for them will be the recent form of Varun Chakravarthy, their premier spin weapon.
The Men in Blue edged past England by seven runs to set up a clash against New Zealand at Ahmedabad. Varun Chakravarthy had another off day in the semi-final and that has raised serious questions, including whether India should drop him for Kuldeep Yadav on Sunday.
Chakravarthy is arguably the best spinner in the world but his recent form doesn’t inspire the same confidence as it did earlier in the T20 World Cup 2026. He started the tournament well, claiming nine wickets from four games in the group stage, including 2 for 17 versus Pakistan.
Things started going downhill for him in the Super 8, when South African batters took him on. He leaked 47 runs in four overs and managed one wicket. He was ineffective against Zimbabwe and West Indies as well, picking up 1 for 35 and 1 for 40 respectively.
His worst performance came in the semi-final, where England hammered him for 64 in four overs while losing one wicket. This was against an opponent he had enjoyed immense success last year.
The mystery spinner has a tendency to go shorter and flatter when put under pressure. Here’s a detailed look at where Varun Chakravarthy is failing in recent games.
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Given the unreliable form of Varun Chakravarthy, it begs the question if India should play Kuldeep Yadav in the NZ vs IND final at Narendra Modi Stadium. The pitch for this clash is set to be of mixed soil, providing good bounce but minimal turn for spinners.
It is important to note that Chakravarthy hasn’t done well against New Zealand in four T20Is he has played so far. He has managed four wickets at an economy of 8.18, which is much higher than his career economy of 7.45. But Kuldeep also has a similar drop against NZ, conceding at 7.66, more than his career economy of 6.95.
Kuldeep’s only appearance in the ongoing tournament was against Pakistan, where he took 1 for 14 in three overs. He has played four games in Ahmedabad, picking up two scalps at 5.61 rpo. Chakravarthy, on the other hand, has eight wickets from three innings but has conceded at 10.36.
There is a compelling argument for Kuldeep’s inclusion in the India playing XI. But throwing him in at such a big moment, and against an opponent that has always had his measure might not be wise. On a pitch with good bounce, Chakravarthy will have a better chance of generating extra bounce with his higher release point and top spin. As such, India would be better off persisting with Varun Chakravarthy in the T20 World Cup final.
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