Varun Chakaravarthy Faces Bench as India Considers Bowling Change for Final

India’s bowling and opening plans could shift before the final, with players’ places directly at stake and the team’s think tank weighing urgent changes — 11: 20 a. m. ET — Sunil Gavaskar urged selectors to move on from underperformers ahead of the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Sunil Gavaskar pushes changes that could unseat Abhishek Sharma

India’s top-order composition is the immediate casualty if Gavaskar’s view is followed: he said Abhishek Sharma should be dropped after a tournament in which Abhishek has compiled scores of 0, 0, 0, 15, 55, 10 and 9, totaling 89 runs at an average of 12. 71. In the semi-final, Abhishek managed nine runs off seven balls before Will Jacks dismissed him in the second over, and Gavaskar flagged repeated dismissals by spin as the core problem.

Varun Chakaravarthy’s form questioned after expensive semi-final spell

Varun Chakravarthy’s recent returns have put his selection under scrutiny: he conceded 64 runs in four overs in the semi-final, and earlier had figures of 1/47 against South Africa, 1/35 against Zimbabwe and 1/40 against West Indies. Since the start of the Super Eight stage he has maintained an economy rate of 11. 62, and Gavaskar highlighted a brutal passage in which Jacob Bethell scored 42 off 13 balls against the mystery spinner.

Gavaskar’s proposed XI swap: Kuldeep Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh

Gavaskar recommended specific replacements: promote Ishan Kishan to open with Sanju Samson, bring Rinku Singh into the XI in place of Abhishek Sharma, and replace Varun Chakravarthy with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Bowling coach Morne Morkel had earlier backed Varun to regain form, but Gavaskar argued Kuldeep could be more effective at the Narendra Modi Stadium because he can turn the ball even on flatter surfaces and with the venue’s large boundaries.

For now, the immediate consequences would affect the final XI chosen by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, who will decide whether to act on Gavaskar’s recommendations before the title match against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

If the think tank follows Gavaskar’s suggestions, Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku Singh would replace Varun Chakravarthy and Abhishek Sharma for the final on Sunday.