"He's a huge asset for India"- Former Indian cricketer feels Varun Chakravarthy is more valuable than Jasprit Bumrah

Varun Chakravarthy has been fantastic for India in white-ball cricket since his comeback.

Former Indian cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath has said that Varun Chakravarthy is a more valuable bowler than Jasprit Bumrah. His comments arrive after Chakravarthy’s brilliant performance in the recently-concluded T20I series against Australia, finishing as India’s highest wicket-taker.

Across five games, the right-arm spinner clinched five wickets at an average of 16.40 and an economy of 6.83. On the other hand, Bumrah clinched three wickets at an economy of 6.58 in the five-match series, which observed two games being washed out due to rain. The Men in Blue crushed Australia 2-1 in the series.

With an impeccable performance this year, Chakravarthy became the number one ranked T20I bowler in International Cricket Council (ICC)’s rankings in September. So far, he has picked 45 wickets in 29 T20Is at an average of 15.68 and an economy of 6.88.

Varun Chakravarthy is more valuable than Jasprit Bumrah: S Badrinath

During a conversation on Star Sports, cricketer-turned-commentator S Badrinath said that Chakravarthy is more valuable than Bumrah, and has taken his game to the next level since his comeback. The 45-year-old also added that Chakravarthy will be a huge asset for India in ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

“Numbers tell us that Varun Chakaravarthy is the No. 1 T20 bowler in the world. He is more valuable than even Bumrah. Whenever the runs are flowing in the powerplay or the middle overs or even in the 18th over, Varun is the go-to bowler. He has gone to a different level with his game. A superb comeback after being given a chance initially and getting dropped because of fitness. But in this second phase after his comeback, he has taken his game to the next level,” he said.

“He’s a huge asset for India, in fact, even a weapon. Going forward, with the T20 World Cup in India, he will be the most crucial factor. If Varun has a good day, there is a great chance the Indian team will have a good day,” Badrinath further added.

Notably, Chakravarthy made his international debut in 2021, however, he was overlooked for the next two years. With his impressive show for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, he earned his spot back into the national side. He was also part of the Indian team that won ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in March and Asia Cup 2025 in September.

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