"From being made scapegoat to shutting haters and critics at same ground"-Fans hail Varun Chakravarthy for his 5/42 spell in IND vs NZ 2025 CT clash 

Team India spinner Varun Chakravarthy received praise from fans after his brilliant bowling performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy game against New Zealand on Sunday (March 2). The Dubai International Cricket Stadium hosted the encounter.

The Men in Blue batted first in the contest after losing the toss and scored 249 runs in 50 overs after losing nine wickets. Shreyas Iyer (78) top-scored with an enterprising half-century, while Axar Patel (42) and Hardik Pandya (45) chipped in for the team cause but missed out on half-centuries.

Team India management took a gamble in this encounter by picking Varun Chakravarthy as the fourth spinner in the playing XI ahead of pacer Harshit Rana. The move paid rich dividends as most of the New Zealand batters were at sea while facing Varun. They struggled to pick up his variations.

The Tamil Nadu cricketer ended up with five wickets in his 10-over spell and played a major role in bundling out the Kiwis for 205 in 45.3 overs. As a result, India won the match by 44 runs and secured the top spot in the Group A points table.

Fans took note of Varun Chakravarthy's magnificent spell on Sunday. They appreciated him for making a strong comeback at the same venue in Dubai, where he faced a setback in the 2021 T20 World Cup when he failed to impress during his international debut.

Here are some of the X reactions on the matter:

"From being made a scapegoat to shutting up the haters and critics at the same ground by taking a fifer 4 years later. Varun Chakravarthy u deserve every bit of appreciation," a fan wrote.

"Fifer at the same place where his career was buried for 3.5 years What a comeback story designed by the architect himself, Varun Chakravarthy" a fan wrote.

"If Varun Chakravarthy is KKR Quota then we need more KKR Quota players in Indian Team," a fan wrote.

"If Gautam Gambhir does not play Varun Chakravarthy in the next match, there is something seriously wrong with him," a fan wrote.

"Varun Chakaravarthy delivered a masterclass with the ball, showcasing brilliance under pressure! A five-wicket haul is no small feat, and he made it look effortless. His precision and control turned the game in India’s favor. Performances like these define champions and set new benchmarks. A night to remember for him and Indian cricket!" a fan wrote.

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"I felt nervous in the initial stages" - Varun Chakravarthy after his POTM performance in IND vs NZ 2025 CT clash

At the post-match presentation, Varun Chakravarthy received the Player of the Match award for his brilliant bowling performance in the second innings.

Reflecting on his match-winning spell, the mystery spinner said:

"First of all, I felt nervous in the initial stages as I haven't played many ODI games for India. But as the game went on it eased a bit. I kept speaking to Virat, Rohit, and Shreyas and they all told me to calm down. Found out last night that I was going to play the game."

Varun added:

"I always wanted to represent the country but was a bit nervous. It wasn't a rank turner, but if you bowled in the right places it paid off. It was a total team effort, the way Kuldeep, Axar, and Jaddu bowled showed that."

The Men in Blue will lock horns with Australia in the first semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy on Tuesday (March 4) in Dubai.