Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has backed Varun Chakravarthy as India’s most harmful weapon in the mean time, even suggesting that the thriller spinner is proving extra deadly than Jasprit Bumrah within the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Srikkanth additionally expressed shock that Varun will not be receiving the popularity he deserves.Varun has been in distinctive type, claiming 9 wickets in 4 matches at a median of 6.88 and an financial system charge of 5.16. In India’s sport in opposition to the Netherlands, he returned excellent figures of three for 14 from three overs.

Apparently, within the 21 matches the place Varun and Bumrah have featured collectively, the spinner leads the wicket tally 30-22. Talking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth stated that batters are nonetheless unable to decipher Varun’s variations.“Take a look at the pitch maps — most of his deliveries are round off-stump and middle-stump. Towards right-handers, the ball simply angles in barely after which turns. His googly is available in sharply. Most of his wickets are from good size or simply in need of good size. Not even full deliveries. Even his so-called brief balls are misleading.”“Folks don’t know what he’s bowling. Is it a googly? Is it the straight one? Is it slower? Is it faster? Nobody is aware of. Instantly he bowls one sooner. Then he alters pace once more. A number of speeds. Future-up, relaxed motion — however extremely misleading.”“Frankly talking, he doesn’t get sufficient credit score. Bumrah is unbelievable. You gained’t simply discover a bowler like Bumrah,” stated Srikkanth.Though Shivam Dube was named Participant of the Match in opposition to the Netherlands, Srikkanth felt Varun was equally deserving.“As we speak, sure, Shivam Dube performed a blinder and deserved Man of the Match. I’m not denying that. However in case you have a look at Varun’s figures — three wickets for only a few runs, all top-order wickets — why wasn’t he even thought of a contender for Man of the Match? Nobody even thought of it,” he stated.Since making a comeback after an underwhelming begin to his worldwide profession, Varun has taken 47 wickets in 27 matches throughout 2024 and 2025. In 2026 alone, he already has 13 wickets from seven video games. Srikkanth believes that if India carry the trophy, Varun may nicely be Participant of the Event.“Hundred % (he will be the Participant Of The Event). Due to consistency. In each match he performs, even on a nasty day, he offers away solely 34 or 35 runs. For a spinner, 4 overs for 36 runs is completely acceptable in T20 cricket. However inside that, he nonetheless takes one or two wickets.”“He’s casually delivering match-winning performances. However he’s not celebrated sufficient,” stated Srikkanth.The previous chief selector went a step additional, calling Varun a modern-day nice within the format and evaluating his present impression to what Bumrah delivered in T20Is a number of years in the past.“Varun, you’re a modern-day nice. I’m telling you actually from my coronary heart — not since you’re Tamil, not since you’re from Tamil Nadu or Chennai. No. Purely due to skill. Each batter is struggling. They don’t know how you can face him. They don’t know whether or not to defend. They don’t know whether or not to assault. They don’t know what to do in opposition to him.”“That’s precisely what Bumrah was once a few years in the past. Bumrah remains to be doing brilliantly,” stated Srikkanth.Varun will subsequent function in India’s Tremendous 8 encounter in opposition to South Africa on Sunday, February 22.