"They can become much better than Kumble and Harbhajan" - Former player's huge praise for Indian spin duo after 2025 Champions Trophy final triumph

Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh heaped massive praise on the spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav after the side's 2025 Champions Trophy triumph. Harbhajan even felt that the duo could eclipse himself and Anil Kumble as the best spin tandem for India.

Kumble is India's all-time leading wicket-taker across formats with 956 scalps, while Harbhajan is third with 711 wickets. Meanwhile, Kuldeep and Varun played massive roles in India's win over New Zealand in the grand finale with two wickets each.

Speaking about the duo during commentary on Star Sports, Harbhajan said (via Sportstak):

"They can become that partnership that will win India a lot of matches in the years to come. They can become much better than Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. They can certainly reach that standard. There’s no question, because both have age on their side. They can play together for many years, and only improve from here. These are early days for them."

He continued:

"Both of them are attacking bowlers, and attacking bowlers always become good partnerships. Kuldeep or Varun attack the stumps, and have that mystery where batters can’t read the ball, if it’s coming in or going away."

Despite playing in only three matches in the tournament, Varun finished as the second-highest wicket-taker with nine scalps. Meanwhile, Kuldeep was at his miserly best, finishing with seven wickets at an economy of under 4.80.

"Lot of planning and all credit to Rohit bhai" - Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav hailed skipper Rohit Sharma for his ability to manage the four spinners through the course of 50 overs in the 2025 Champions Trophy. After going with a three-spin attack in the first two games, India opted to play four spinners in their final three outings.

Talking about India's triumph and Rohit's handling of the four spinners in the post-match interview, Kuldeep said (via ESPN Cricinfo):

"I don't believe in favorites tags but we have been doing brilliantly. This win is dedicated to our fans. It is easy to say that four spinners in the team, but it is very tough to manage four spinners. There was a lot of planning and all credit to Rohit bhai. Big party tonight."

It was Kuldeep's and India's second consecutive ICC title, having enjoyed a similar unbeaten run through the 2024 T20 World Cup.