Varun Chakaravarthy’s Magical Five-Wicket Spell Thrills Fans in Champions Trophy 2025

Varun Chakaravarthy dazzled in only his second ODI, taking a remarkable five-wicket haul in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Group A match against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. With his clever and deceptive bowling, Varun’s probing spell left the New Zealand batters completely bamboozled, unable to counter his brilliance.

Varun Chakaravarthy’s previous outings at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium during the 2021 T20 World Cup were forgettable. The mystery spinner went wicketless in all three games, struggling to make an impact. However, on sunday, he delivered a mesmerizing spell (10-0-42-5) against New Zealand, leading India to a commanding 44-run victory and securing the top spot in Group A of the Champions Trophy.

A Nervous Start in Champions Trophy 2025

Varun did not begin the tournament on a high note. In India’s final league match against New Zealand, he dropped a sitter at mid-on, giving opener Will Young an early reprieve. It seemed like history might repeat itself, but the determined spinner had other plans.

Varun’s Magical Spell: 5/42 Against New Zealand

After a nervous start, Varun bounced back in spectacular fashion. His spell of 5/42 dismantled the Kiwi batting lineup. He dismissed key batters like Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, and Matt Henry, playing a decisive role in India’s victory.

Unlike 2021, Varun adjusted his bowling tactics to suit the pitch. He focused on maintaining tight lines and varying his pace. The dry surface in Dubai offered enough grip for his deliveries to turn sharply, making him a nightmare for New Zealand’s batters.

A Historic Feat: Fastest Indian to a Five-Wicket Haul in ODIs

Varun’s 5/42 made him the earliest Indian bowler to achieve a five-wicket haul in ODIs, achieving the feat in just his second match. He surpassed Stuart Binny’s record of taking a six-wicket haul in his third ODI against Bangladesh in 2014.

The game turned on key dismissals that proved crucial to India’s victory. Will Young’s wicket provided the initial breakthrough. At critical moments, Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell were dismissed, significantly slowing down New Zealand’s chase. Finally, Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry were efficiently wrapped up, taking care of the lower order and sealing the win for India.

Fans Celebrate Varun Chakaravarthy’s Five-Wicket Haul

Varun Chakaravarthy’s impressive five-wicket haul sent his fans into a frenzy. Social media exploded with praise for the mystery spinner, with fans even dubbing him the “Doctor Strange” of the Indian team. Doctor Strange, a fictional character from Marvel Movies, is known for his magical abilities, much like Varun’s seemingly magical bowling. Indian fans were thrilled as none of the Kiwi batters could decipher Varun’s deliveries during the game.

#VarunChakravarthy the showstopper!! Magical stuff! 🪄🎩

A phenomenal show from Varun with the ball in hand, all-round abilities of Axar, fantastic captaincy by @ImRo45 and some excellent batting performances by @ShreyasIyer15 and @hardikpandya7 help #TeamIndia register a… pic.twitter.com/OxCxDcSwe4

— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) March 2, 2025

A touch of magic and a whole lot of skill. 🪄💥🎯🕸️
Top spell and his first fifer #varunchakravarthy 👏#BharatArmy #COTI🇮🇳 #TeamIndia #ChampionsTrophy2025 #INDVNZ pic.twitter.com/j1ckZNPJht

— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) March 2, 2025

Future star of India! 🇮🇳This is his first ICC match, yet he has delivered an exceptional performance, finishing with outstanding figures of 5 for 42. What a player! Undoubtedly, a mystery spinner. 🔥🔥🔥#VarunChakravarthy #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/nFW2Vpk4U1

— Gopala Krishna (@urstrulyGopala) March 2, 2025

Wow congratulations #varunchakravarthy 🎊 👏 💐 🥳
5 wicket haul 👌🔥🔥

India 🇮🇳 won the match against black caps 💥💥#INDvsNZ #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/JArfUUp7Al

— ममता राजगढ़ (@rajgarh_mamta1) March 2, 2025

वरुण चक्रवर्थी और कुलदीप यादव की स्पिन ने आज छोटा टोटल भी डिफेंड कर दिया

भारत के भावी क्रिकेटर्स के लिए वरुण की बॉलिंग इस बात की मिसाल है कि अच्छी बॉलिंग के लिए कंसिस्टेंसी और लेंथ ज्यादा मायने रखती है न कि स्पिन या गति#varunchakravarthy #INDvsNZ #ChampionsTrophy #CricketFever pic.twitter.com/ti6aRnqnTA

— Anjali Kataria, DSP 🇮🇳 (@AnjaliKataria19) March 2, 2025

चैंपियंस ट्रॉफी के आख़िरी लीग में भारत की शानदार जीत, न्यूजीलैंड को 44 रनों से हराया

वरुण चक्रवर्ती ने 5 विकेट लेकर न्यूजीलैंड को सरेंडर करा दिया

बधाई भारत, बधाई वरुण

#INDvsNZ #varunchakravarthy

अब सेमीफ़ाइल #INDvsAUS होगा

न्यूजीलैंड को हरा दिया है, अब ऑस्ट्रेलिया की बारी… pic.twitter.com/nhnAbe7HMe

— Gaurav Yadav (@gauryadav31) March 2, 2025

Wild fire है मै 🔥🔥#INDvsNZ Travis Head Wicket #INDvsAUS #INDvsNZ Kane Williamson #varunchakravarthy New Zealand KL Rahul India vs Australiaवरुण चक्रवर्ती Santner Rishabh Pant Jadeja Axar Patel pic.twitter.com/Kzw6tEtuVk

— Priyanka (@Priyanka1650112) March 2, 2025

Varun’s Mindset and Preparation

With this performance, India finished at the top of Group A. Varun’s spell not only ensured a 44-run win but also boosted team confidence heading into the semi-finals. Varun admitted feeling nervous initially but credited his teammates, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, for calming him down. Their support played a key role in his confidence resurgence.

“I did feel nervous in the initial stages because I’ve not played many matches for India in ODIs, so I definitely felt nervous, but as the game started progressing, I felt better. Virat was talking to me, Rohit Bhai was talking to me, Shreyas, Hardik, everyone was talking to me, they were telling me just calm down, just calm down,” said Varun.