Spin it to win it: Varun growing in stature

Gambhir and other leaders in the team has propelled spinner to be more attacking, says former India pacer Balaji

- ASHOK VENUGOPAL @Chennai

VARUN Chakravarthy seems to be soaring at the moment. In familiar conditions in Kolkata, the ace spinner was the standout bowler for India on Wednesday. He delivered a Man of the Match performance against England in the opening T20I at the Eden Gardens, helping the home side post a handsome victory in the process. He bamboozled the English batters with his variations and guile and ended up with impressive figures of 3/23 in his four overs.

Ever since Gautam Gambhir started coaching India and brought back Varun into the team, the mystery spinner's stock has witnessed a steady rise. The way he castled Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone showed his excellent control and his maturity in delivering the right balls at appropriate times. Varun showed his ability to mix his deliveries judiciously and go for the kill. "He was absolutely brilliant. He bowled with a lot of confidence and one could sense the maturity in the way he sorts out batters," L Balaji, chief coach of Tamil Nadu, told this daily.