Varun Chakravarthy seized the opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities during the Champions Trophy, exceeding expectations. He made a significant impact by claiming a five-wicket haul, playing a pivotal role in India's decisive victory over New Zealand in their final group match. Chakravarthy was brought in to replace Harshit Rana, and given the anticipated favorable conditions for spinners, it seems unlikely that the pace bowler will return to the lineup.

Should he make a comeback, it is unlikely that Chakravarthy would be the one to make way. Furthermore, Rohit Sharma is expected to prefer maintaining the current squad, especially as India prepares to face the formidable challenge posed by Australia in a crucial ICC tournament match.

Hardik Pandya effectively fulfilled the role of the second pacer against New Zealand. With Mohammed Shami still not at his peak performance, India will depend on Pandya to deliver strong bowling during the initial overs of the match.

Crucially, Pandya also showcased his batting prowess against New Zealand, contributing significantly in the latter stages to help India approach a total of 250 runs. Shreyas Iyer has been consistently reliable at No. 4, demonstrating the ability to adapt his approach based on the match situation. Axar Patel has emerged as a valuable asset at No. 5, showing improvements in his fielding while remaining dependable with the ball. Both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli have also had their standout moments throughout the group stage.

Ultimately, India will be hoping for Rohit to deliver a standout performance this time. His aggressive intent early in the innings has somewhat limited his contributions thus far in the tournament. Notably, it was his explosive 92 off 41 balls that was instrumental in India's victory over Australia during the 2024 T20 World Cup—a rare triumph in this matchup within a major tournament since the pandemic. The ideal outcome for India would see their top three batsmen, Rohit, Gill, and Kohli, all in excellent form.

India’s playing XI vs New Zealand:

Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill

Top and middle order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk)

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja

Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

Read Also: Harbhajan Singh Challenges Indian Pacers to Overcome 2023 ODI World Cup Disappointment: "Shami, Enough is Enough"

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