Varun Chakravarthy attributed India’s struggles in the second innings of the Rajkot T20I to the absence of dew, which he said significantly benefited England’s bowlers. On Tuesday, January 28, Suryakumar Yadav’s India suffered a 26-run defeat, allowing England to keep their hopes alive in the five-match series. England, after being sent in to bat first, managed to post a competitive total of 171 for nine on a surface that was far from easy to bat on. In response, India found the chase challenging, managing only 145 for nine as England’s bowlers—Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, and Adil Rashid—produced a clinical performance, restricting India’s batters from gaining any momentum.
Chakravarthy emphasized that the pitch conditions deteriorated in the second innings, making it difficult for the Indian batters to play their shots freely. He noted that the team had expected dew to set in, which could have made stroke-making easier, but that did not happen. “The pitch definitely got slower in the second innings. We thought that dew might come in and help our chase, but it didn’t, and that worked in England’s favor. They bowled well and adapted to the conditions better,” Chakravarthy explained in the post-match press conference.
One of the standout performers with the ball for England was Adil Rashid, who kept the Indian middle order under pressure with his clever variations. Chakravarthy praised the experienced leg-spinner, acknowledging his skill and control. “Adil Rashid is a legend. He knows exactly how to bowl in these conditions. He has exceptional control over his speed, flight, and turn, which makes him such a dangerous bowler. He doesn’t allow batters to take him on easily,” he remarked. Rashid finished with an economical spell of 4-0-15-1, playing a key role in India’s downfall.
Despite India’s loss, Chakravarthy had a memorable outing on a personal level, as he became only the third Indian bowler in Men’s T20I history—after Kuldeep Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar—to achieve multiple five-wicket hauls. He delivered a brilliant spell of 4-0-24-5, rattling the English batting lineup and ensuring that they did not run away with a bigger total. Reflecting on his performance, Chakravarthy reiterated that consistency remains his primary focus as a bowler.
“The work never stops, because maintaining consistency is an ongoing process. Even if I am bowling my stock delivery, I have to keep working on it. The goal is to achieve 9 out of 10 accuracy, and that requires continuous effort. Right now, my main focus is on being disciplined with my line and length and ensuring that I execute my plans perfectly,” he added.
With the series now finely poised, both teams will be eager to gain an advantage in the fourth and penultimate T20I, scheduled to be played on Friday, January 31, at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. While India will look to bounce back and seal the series, England will aim to level things up and take the contest to the decider. Given the intensity and competitiveness seen so far, another thrilling battle is on the cards.
