Jasprit Bumrah is considered one of the best bowlers in the world today. His accuracy in line and length makes him a lethal bowler in all three formats. Former Indian cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath has claimed that spinner Varun Chakravarthy is now more important than Bumrah in Team India. Chakravarthy was the leading wicket-taker for Team India in the recently concluded India-Australia T20 series.
If we see that performance, at least in the recent matches, Varun Chakravarthy looked better than the pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The spinner’s stats are mesmerising but, as of now, remain unsung. The former Indian cricketer tried to reflect on the realities.
Varun Chakravarthy is better than Jasprit Bumrah?
During a discussion on a Star Sports show, Subramaniam Badrinath said, “The statistics show why Varun Chakravarthy is the number one T20 bowler in the world. He is even more important than Bumrah at the moment. Whenever there are a lot of runs being scored in the powerplay, or if you have to bowl in the 18th over, Varun is the bowler for you.”34-year-old Varun Chakravarthy has proven to be a very effective bowler in T20 matches. Captain Suryakumar Yadav often brings him in during the powerplay and has taken wickets at crucial moments.
Notable stats of Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy is India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is in 2025. So far this year, he has taken 26 wickets in 14 innings. Statistics show that he is taking approximately two wickets per match. Since returning to Team India in 2024, Varun has played 23 matches, taking 43 wickets.
Since returning to the Indian team, he has been rewarded for his consistent performances. Just a few weeks ago, he became the world’s No. 1 bowler in T20 Internationals. Subramaniam Badrinath believes that Varun Chakravarthy could be the X-factor for the Indian team in the 2026 T20 World Cup.