He picked up nine wickets in three matches.
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik praised spinner Varun Chakravarthy for handling the pressure well in the Champions Trophy 2025 final and delivering a good performance against New Zealand. India won consecutive ICC tournaments after defeating the Blackcaps by four wickets following their T20 World Cup triumph in June 2024 in Barbados.
Karthik revealed his former teammate from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) used to call him every night before the match to seek his guidance.
“For me, knowing the person, it was about whether he could handle the pressure. I used to get a call every day before the game the previous night, and he would ask me ‘what do you think I should do’, and I used to say everything is okay, and that is not asking me for an answer, that is just reassuring me that I know what I am doing, but I just feel good talking to you,” Karthik on Sky Sports Cricket after India’s victory in the Champions Trophy 2025.
ALSO READ:
Karthik also talked about Varun’s personality off-the-field while crediting him for his game-reading ability and the wise usage of his variations.
“He’s that kind of a personality, he is a bit of an introvert, always doubts himself a bit, but once he is in the park, he goes out there, and he delivers. He knows the three balls that he needs to bowl, he is clever, he is an architect, he has been an engineer, he has done everything. So, at the base of it all, he is a clever man who knows how to use his variations in the right manner,” he added.
Varun claimed a fifer against the Kiwis in the group stage match in what was his second ODI. India won that match by 44 runs. During the semi-final against Australia, he dismissed Travis Head who is known to ruin India’s hopes in ICC tournaments. India entered the final with a four-wicket win.
In the highly anticipated final in Dubai, facing New Zealand again, Varun struck twice to remove Will Young and Glenn Philips while conceding only 45 runs in his 10 overs. The 33-year-old finished his Champions Trophy campaign with nine wickets in just three matches.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
