Cricket fans were in for a thrilling contest as India took on England in the second One Day International (ODI) in Cuttack. With England desperate to level the series, all eyes were on India’s playing XI, which featured a big surprise—Varun Chakravarthy, the mystery spinner, making his long-awaited ODI debut.
The Toss and Team Changes
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, won the toss and opted to bat first, hoping to set a challenging target. India, led by Rohit Sharma, made two key changes. Yashasvi Jaiswal made way for Virat Kohli, whose return to the side was met with loud cheers from the crowd. In the bowling department, Kuldeep Yadav was rested, paving the way for Varun Chakravarthy’s first ODI appearance.
“We’ve made two changes. Yashasvi Jaiswal misses out as Virat Kohli comes back, and Kuldeep Yadav is rested with Varun getting his debut,” Rohit Sharma confirmed at the toss.
Rohit added, “It was a good performance overall in Nagpur, it’s about continuing that. I loved our energy on the ground, despite not playing this format for a while. The counterattack from Shreyas Iyer was really good, he prides himself on playing with that intent and attitude. And Shubman Gill and Axar Patel made crucial contributions as well.”
Varun Chakravarthy’s Historic Debut
At 33 years and 164 days old, Varun became India’s second-oldest ODI debutant, following Farokh Engineer, who debuted at 36 years and 138 days in 1974. It was a significant milestone for the seasoned spinner, who had been waiting for his opportunity in the 50-over format.
Oldest ODI debutants for India
36y 138d Farookh Engineer vs Eng Leeds 1974
33y 164d Varun Chakravarthy vs Eng Cuttack 2025 *
33y 103d Ajit Wadekar vs Eng Leeds 1974
32y 350d Dilip Doshi vs Aus Melbourne 1980
32y 307d Syed Abid Ali vs Eng Leeds 1974
Varun’s rise to international cricket has been anything but conventional. After impressing in domestic tournaments, especially in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he bagged 18 wickets at an average of 12.16, his selection for the ODI team was a well-earned reward. Known for his unorthodox bowling style, Varun’s variations make him a tricky customer for batters. His ability to deceive with subtle changes in pace and flight could prove crucial in India’s bowling attack.
Best bowling average in List A cricket (50+ wickets)
14.13 Varun Chakravarthy *
14.91 Chanuka Dilshan
15.83 Rajendra Dhanraj
16.05 Keith Boyce
16.10 Ali Khan
Debut 🧢 ✅
Varun Chakaravarthy will make his first appearance for #TeamIndia in an ODI ✨
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/NReW1eEQtF#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @chakaravarthy29 pic.twitter.com/TRah0L7gh9
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2025
Rohit Sharma’s Take on Varun’s Inclusion
Speaking at the toss, Rohit highlighted that Varun’s unique skill set could offer India an edge. He hinted at the possibility of Varun being considered for the Champions Trophy, stating, “He has certainly shown something different. I understand that it is a T20 format but he has clearly got something different about him. So we just wanted to have an option and see what we can do with him.”
“Clearly during the series it presents us an opportunity to play him at some stage and see what he is capable of. If things plan out really well for us and he does what is required then definitely there is something that we need to think about,” he added.
England’s Approach to the Match
With the series on the line, England aimed to bat aggressively. Buttler’s leadership and their batting depth, including Harry Brook and Phil Salt, made them a formidable challenge.
India’s Champions Trophy Preparations
With only one more ODI before the Champions Trophy, India is fine-tuning its squad. If Varun performs well, he could force the selectors to rethink their plans. A win here would seal the series for India, while England needed victory to stay alive. It was a high-stakes encounter that could impact both teams’ future selections.
Bowling in Cuttack can be tricky, but Varun’s variations could trouble England’s middle order. If he manages to contain runs and take wickets, it might put him in contention for the Champions Trophy squad.
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