"He has become indispensable" - Irfan Pathan hails Team India star after IND vs SA 2025 T20I series win

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has heaped praise on leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy for his match-winning spell in the fifth T20I against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Friday, December 19. Pathan opined that the wrist-spinner has become an indispensable part of the side, and referred to him as the 'comeback man.'

With 10 wickets in the five-game series against the Proteas, the 34-year-old earned the Player of the Series award. He gave the Men in Blue their first breakthrough on Friday, breaking South Africa's breezy 69-run opening stand by dismssing Reeza Hendricks. Chakaravarthy picked up three more scalps to finish with figures of 4-0-53-4.

Speaking in a recent video uploaded on his YouTube channel 'Irfan Pathan,' the 41-year-old said Chakaravarthy has done something incredibly special to be considered as the first-choice, even with Kuldeep Yadav in the squad. He conceded:

"The way Quinton de Kock started, it felt that the chase was on. Arshdeep Singh did leak runs initially. Jasprit Bumrah brought India back in the game exceptionally well. I call Varun Chakaravarthy the comeback man – he gave away more than 50 runs but also took four wickets. Whenever India desperately requires, he delivers wickets. He brings in some beautiful variations and has become indispensable for the Indian team." "You have done something very special if you are the first choice despite Kuldeep Yadav’s presence in the squad. Varun is special and his character makes him so. He plays with the batters’ eyeline. If any batter scores from over the wicket, he tries to change their eyeline," he added.

The latest ICC T20I rankings saw the Madhya Pradesh-born cricketer secure 818 points to become the Indian bowler with the highest rating points.

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"If he goes for runs in the powerplay, he will return later to take wickets" - Irfan Pathan on Varun Chakaravarthy

Varun Chakaravarthy celebrates a wicket with Suryakumar Yadav. (Credits: BCCI X)

In the same video, Pathan observed that Chakaravarthy plays with batters' eyeline consistently, underlining the leggie's ability to reinvenet himself after going for runs. Tracing Chakaravarthy's sensational comeback from 2021, Pathan said:

"Linde had smacked a six when Varun bowled from round the wicket, so he came from over. When the ball leaves his hand from over the wicket, it doesn’t do so in the stump line. So, the head and eye go to a different direction; so the eyeline changes accordingly. Then Linde got bowled. The way he plays with the batter’s eyeline, no other bowler has that ability. He also always targets the stumps. I also call him the comeback man because Aiden Markram had slammed a boundary and Varun got him lbw." "If he goes for runs in the powerplay, he will return later to take wickets. The aggression is in his eyes and keeps proving why he is No.1 via his performances. He keeps working to get better and remaining fit. The way he has turned around since 2021, it’s been amazing to see," he added.

Chasing 231 in Ahmedabad, South Africa could manage 201 as India secured a 3-1 series victory.

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Edited by Parag Jain