'Rely on the finer aspects': Ravi Ashwin gives tactical advice to Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of the T20 WC final

Following India’s high-scoring semi-final win over England, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has offered a masterclass in tactical mid-tournament adjustments for Varun Chakaravarthy, who has struggled for form in the last four games. Despite India’s win, Chakaravarthy’s figures of 1/64, the highest in his T20I career, have raised concerns, marking a periodic "blip" for the mystery spinner whose variations have recently been solved by top-tier batters. Speaking on his YouTube channel, ‘Ash ki Baat’, Ashwin emphasised that Chakaravarthy’s struggles aren't necessarily about batters "picking" his mystery, but instead around a deficiency of tactical reaction once he is under pressure.

The confidence trap: "Don't play catch-up"

Ashwin, who now tries to decode and analyse each game and player, noted a worrying tendency in Chakaravarthy’s recent spells, especially during the Super 8s against West Indies in Kolkata and the semi-final against England at Wankhede.

"Every time he gets attacked upfront, the confidence is going down further because he knows he is catching up," Ashwin marked. He warned that when a bowler feels they are "behind" the game, they try to run through their overs without giving a thought about their plans.

Ashwin feels that, if needed, Varun needs to slow the game down a bit, drawing on his own legendary career. "If I feel I want a pause, I would take it. This is about awareness. The toughest thing is adapting to tough situations," he added.

Read also: 'Like having a genie:' Former South Africa captain on Jasprit Bumrah's influence on the Indian team.

Line, length, and the "left-hander" rule

Ashwin was straightforward about the technical mistakes currently haunting Chakaravarthy’s bowling. He repeated a piece of guidance he has been verbal about throughout the tournament.

'Stop bowling from round the wicket to left-handers," Ashwin advised again.

"I am tired of saying this again and again... Do not bowl from round the wicket to the left-hander. You cannot miss the lengths. Line and length variations with speed variations are important."

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He feels that while Chakaravarthy has earlier counted on the batter not being able to read his mystery, the international teams have now assembled enough data to go after him.

"Till now, he has relied on people not picking him. From now on, he has to rely on the finer aspects of spin bowling," Ashwin demonstrated.

How to watch the India vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2026 final match?

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