Team India players Sanju Samson and Varun Chakaravarthy brought a light-hearted moment to the squad’s Manchester travel as the two were seen playing a nostalgic childhood game on the team bus during the ongoing T20I series against England. India have moved to Manchester for the second T20I, which will be played on Saturday, July 4, and the upbeat clip offered a fun glimpse into the dressing-room mood.
The game, known as a “pen fight,” is a simple but competitive childhood pastime in which players flick their pens across a flat surface and try to knock the opponent’s pen away. In the video, Samson made the first move, before Chakaravarthy accidentally sent his own pen off the table while attempting to strike back. On the second attempt, Samson finished the contest in style by pushing Chakaravarthy’s pen off the surface with a single hit.
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The first T20I of the five-match series ended in a no result after rain interrupted play in Durham. India, who won the toss and chose to bat first, posted a competitive 189 for 7, but the match could not restart after the innings break as the weather continued to worsen. Both teams will now look to seize the early advantage in Manchester and build momentum in the series.
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Varun Chakaravarthy had been named in India’s T20I squads for both the Ireland and England series, but he missed the Ireland tour and was later ruled out of the two-match contest there. The spinner was still recovering from a left-foot injury sustained during IPL 2026 and was in the final stages of rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence before rejoining the national setup.
Despite the fitness setback, Chakaravarthy managed to feature in 11 matches during IPL 2026, even though he was not at his sharpest. He was named in India’s playing XI for the opening T20I against England, although the rain meant he did not get a chance to bowl.
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While Chakaravarthy is yet to make an impact in England, his numbers against the Three Lions remain impressive. In seven T20Is against England, he has taken 15 wickets at an average of 13.46 and an economy rate of 9.18, underlining his value as one of India’s key spin options in the shortest format.
