Varun Chakravarthy is a magician with the ball: Sunil Gavaskar

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has described Varun Chakravarthy as a “magician with the ball”, as the mystery spinner continues to flummox batters with his deception and unique variations. Chakravarthy picked up two big wickets at crucial junctures in India’s victory over New Zealand in the first T20I on Wednesday.

“Varun looked a little rusty, but that’s understandable. He picked up two wickets and the economy rate, when the batters are going hell-bent for leather, was pretty decent as well. The important thing is that his body language was good.

“Often, you know, his body language, sometimes when he’s taken for a few runs, can be a little bit down. That didn’t happen,” Gavaskar said on JioHotstar. The former India captain added, “He (Varun) was walking back to the mark, upright, wasn’t looking fazed by the fact that he’d been hit for a couple of sixes, and that’s always a very good sign. He’s a magician, make no mistake. He bowls brilliantly.

“So yes, in this format or even in the 50-over format, which will be expensive, he just has to believe, ‘Yes, next over I’m going to get my two wickets,’ and that’s what he does.” Gavaskar said India produced a “very heartening” performance in the first match of the series, which is the team’s final preparation before the T20 World Cup.

Abhishek Sharma smashed 84 off just 35 balls and was complemented well by Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20 balls) as India posted a commanding 238 for 7 and then Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya provided the breakthroughs to restrict New Zealand to 190 for 7. “You win the first game, that’s a ticked box for sure. Yes, within that ticked box, there will be other small boxes to be ticked off, but you know it’s always good to start the new year, a new campaign, with a win before the World Cup,” Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying.

“I think it’s always good to start with a win, so no complaints whatsoever. I think India did brilliantly to get to 238 and then they bowled really well. Yes, the odd catch went down, but all around the performance was very, very heartening.”