“I would not even let him come to the ground” - Irfan Pathan on Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of IND v NZ T20 World Cup final

Irfan Pathan, former India all-rounder, showed concern about struggling India spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and stated that if he was incharge, Varun would not go for practice on the ground ahead of the India v New Zealand final of the T20 World Cup 2026, that will be played in Ahmedabad.

Varun struggled once more, going for 64 runs in four overs and collecting just one wicket, while Suryakumar Yadav's team won the match by seven runs after scoring 253. With an economy rate of 11.63 over his last four games, the mystery spinner has continued to be costly since the Super 8s. 

The 34-year-old's confidence is waning, according to Pathan. In order to assist Varun, change his perspective and regain his optimism, he stated that if he were on the team, he would play him directly against New Zealand on Sunday, March 8, but he would also give him two days off without practicing.

“It will be very important how quickly we can bring Varun Chakaravarthy back into a better frame of mind. I feel that his confidence is going down. If I were in the Indian team camp, I would make sure that for the next two days not many people talk to him. I would not even let him come to the ground. If I am backing him and planning to play him, then I would keep him away from the ground and let him come directly on the day of the final. I would completely switch his mind off for two days and try to bring him towards positivity. But I would not make him practice,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

Despite his struggled, Varun has 13 wickets to his name in the tournament, with an average of 19.07, a strike rate of 12.92, and an economy rate of 8.85.

Varun Chakaravarthy has been drilling short-pitched deliveries, which is not his strong suit, according to Irfan Pathan. He expressed hope that he would do well in the final and that the management would give him two days to himself.

“Tell me, what difference will practice make in just one day? He has been practicing regularly anyway, but it feels like the practice is not going in the right direction. He is practicing short deliveries, which is not really his strength. Right now, it feels like his confidence is dropping. So just leave him alone for two days. Let him come on the day of the final and perform. That would be the hope. The team management will surely think about what to do with him, but I would say do not make him practice. That is my thinking,” he added.

Varun has played 44 T20Is for India, taking 72 wickets. India and New Zealand will face-off in the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, Sunday.

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