[WATCH] Varun Chakravarthy Strikes Early, Removes Tim Seifert In First Over Of 2nd T20I

Varun Chakravarthy maintained his impressive form in the second T20I between India and New Zealand in Raipur on Friday, January 23. The leg-spinner removed in-form Kiwi opener Tim Seifert for 24 off 13 balls, which included five boundaries, reducing New Zealand to 43/1.

The wicket fell in the fifth over of New Zealand’s innings. Chakravarthy bowled a deceptive googly, and Seifert fell into the trap. The right-handed batter attempted a slog sweep from his knees, but the ball bounced higher than expected, resulting in a top edge.

Ishan Kishan, positioned at mid-wicket, held onto a tumbling catch while falling onto his back. You can watch the video here:

https://www.bcci.tv/bccilink/videos/2e9fkRUY

Varun Chakravarthy had also made an early impact in the series opener, removing Tim Robinson for 21 in his first over. The 34-year-old ended the match with figures of 2/37 from four overs. He had previously claimed 10 wickets in four games during India’s last T20I series against South Africa.

Chakravarthy & Rana Strike Early, NZ Openers Gone In Powerplay

A composed bowling effort from Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy saw India remove both Kiwi openers in the second T20I. While Chakravarthy dismissed Tim Seifert, Conway fell to Rana, who made an immediate impact in his first over after coming in for the injured Jasprit Bumrah.

At the time of reporting, New Zealand were 94/2 after 8.2 overs, with Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra at the crease. India had claimed the series opener by 48 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match contest. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue have not lost a T20I series since the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In their previous two series, India defeated Australia 2-1 away and South Africa 3-1 at home. Additionally, they have remained unbeaten in T20I series against New Zealand since 2019. In contrast, the Kiwis had recently beaten the West Indies 3-1 in their last T20I series.

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