India's head coach Gautam Gambhir was asked about Varun Chakaravarthy's chances of making the playing XI for the Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh in Dubai, following India's 3-0 ODI series win over England. While he didn't directly comment on whether Chakaravarthy would start over Kuldeep Yadav, he mentioned that Chakaravarthy was included in the squad as a last-minute replacement for Yashasvi Jaiswal, with the belief that he could help secure victories. India captain Rohit Sharma echoed similar sentiments during a pre-match press conference in Dubai.

Rohit noted that the selectors and team management were impressed with Chakaravarthy's performances in the T20Is and felt he could be impactful in the ODIs, especially in a major tournament like the Champions Trophy. "He brings something unique to the table, which is why he's here. Based on what we've seen from him over the past 8-9 months, we wanted to give him a shot on this big stage. Let's see how he can deliver when it counts," Rohit shared with reporters on Wednesday.

Chakaravarthy has taken over 10 wickets in the last two T20I series against South Africa and England, and his unusual bowling style keeps batters on their toes. When asked how Rohit faces him in practice, the captain revealed that Chakaravarthy doesn't showcase his variations during net sessions.

Rohit mentioned that the bowler doesn’t really mix it up much during practice. He sticks to one type of delivery, which might be his way of keeping his skills under wraps. "If he’s got some tricks up his sleeve for the match, I’m totally cool with that," Rohit said, emphasizing that he’s all for it if the bowler wants to save his best for when it counts.

Varun made his ODI debut in the series against England but only got to play one game. He and Kuldeep Yadav are the main spinners, while Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar are also solid options who can bat well.

The team leans heavily on spin but has three fast bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, with Hardik Pandya as the only pace all-rounder.

Rohit pointed out, "We’ve got just two spinners; the rest are all-rounders who can both bat and bowl."

He added, "We play to our strengths. Those three all-rounders really add a unique element to the team. We wanted players who can contribute in multiple ways," as he looked ahead to the tournament opener against Bangladesh.

Reflecting on the tournament returning after eight years, Rohit said, "This is a crucial tournament, just like all ICC events. We need to get a lot of things right to lift the trophy."

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