"I used to get a call every day" - Former India player praises Varun Chakaravarthy for overcoming nerves in IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy final 

Former India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik has lauded Varun Chakaravarthy for getting the better of nerves and self-doubt to produce a memorable 2025 Champions Trophy campaign. The mystery spinner played a huge role in the Men in Blue's title triumph, picking up nine wickets in just three matches, including a five-wicket haul in the group stage match against New Zealand.

Chakaravarthy, a late inclusion into the Indian squad and the playing XI, ended up being the final piece of the puzzle. He became the fourth spinner in the setup along with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. He retained his place in the knockouts, where he made a crucial impact with some key wickets under his belt.

Dinesh Karthik revealed how the 33-year-old's off-field persona was shed for a confident one whenever he stepped onto the ground.

"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 told Sky Sports Cricket after India's 2025 Champions Trophy triumph.

"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.

Dinesh Karthik and Varun Chakaravarthy go back a long way. It was under the former wicket-keeper's captaincy that the mystery spinner made his debut for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. They also played together for Tamil Nadu across several domestic seasons in white-ball cricket.

"It was a sudden inclusion" - Varun Chakaravarthy on his 2025 Champions Trophy campaign

Chakaravarthy made his debut in the ODI series against England ahead of the Champions Trophy, on the back of his stellar display in the preceding T20I series. A promising ODI debut led to an inclusion in the final squad for the ICC event, where he replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The move paid off as Chakaravarthy had a huge say in India's eventual title triumph in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"It was a sudden inclusion, didn't expect to turn up like this, dream come true. The first innings, the spin was less, we had to stick to the stumps, be disciplined," Chakaravarthy said after India's win over New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy final.

The mystery spinner has been unstoppable ever since his comeback into the national setup in 2024 under Gautam Gambhir's reign as head coach.