India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy showcased an impressive googly masterclass that left South Africa’s batters clueless in the second T20I of the four-match series at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Chakravarthy, who has re-emerged as a powerful weapon for India, delivered one of his most memorable performances, skillfully dismantling South Africa’s top and middle order with his deceptive variations.
Chakravarthy, back in the national team after a brief absence, has quickly cemented his place as India’s go-to spinner in the T20I format. In the first match of the series at Kingsmead in Durban, he had already made a statement with three wickets for just 25 runs. But his spell in the second T20I reached new heights, as he stunned batters with a well-crafted mix of spin and subtle googlies that proved unreadable for the Proteas.
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He opened his account by dismissing Aiden Markram on just the second ball of his spell, delivering a perfect googly that breached Markram’s defences to uproot the stumps. Chakravarthy’s next victims, Reeza Hendricks and Marco Jansen, also struggled to read his variations. Hendricks fell in the eighth over, misjudging another googly, while Jansen was taken out in the 11th over in similar fashion.
A maiden 5 wicket haul for India’s new spin sensation! 😍
Take a bow, Varun Chakaravarthy 🙌
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The highlight of Chakravarthy’s spell came in the 13th over when he claimed two more wickets in quick succession. Heinrich Klaasen departed on the first ball, and the very next delivery saw David Miller’s stumps rattled for a golden duck, a testament to the spinner’s ability to deceive even seasoned T20 hitters.
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Chakravarthy’s spell concluded with remarkable figures of 4-0-17-5, marking the best performance of his T20I career. His sensational bowling not only crippled South Africa’s innings but also highlighted his evolution as a mystery spinner, making him a formidable asset for India in the shortest format.
