From wicketless 2021 to maiden ODI fifer: Varun Chakravarthy's Dubai story finally gets its redemption arc

Having gone wicketless in his three ICC T20 WC 2021 matches, particularly a stinging 10-wicket loss to Pakistan in the group stage that paved the way for a group stage exit, Varun was one of the scapegoats of India's disastrous campaign. After scripting a comeback to remember for in T20Is last year and snapping two five-wicket hauls quickly, Varun has now registered his third five-wicket haul, this time in ODIs and at the venue where he did not have the most fondest memories.

Kiwis was more or less in the contest, at 151/4 in 35.3 overs. From then on, Varun started his arc towards glory in Dubai as he removed Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry one by one to grab a five-wicket haul, starting his wicket tally with a scalp of Will Young. Varun ended his Dubai heroics with figures of 5/42 in 10 overs, earning the 'Player of the Match' medal.

Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja played supporting roles in Varun's story, taking four wickets combined, with Kuldeep getting two. Nine wickets by India's spinners is the most by spinners in an innings in the Champions Trophy, outdoing eight by Pakistan against Kenya in Edgbaston in 2004.

Varun's spell is the second-best by a bowler on CT debut and best by an Indian bowler on CT debut. Australia's Josh Hazlewood has the best CT debut spell, taking 6/52 against NZ in 2017 at Edgbaston.

Varun's fifer in his second ODI, is the earliest by an Indian bowler in his ODI career. The previous earliest was Stuart Binny, who picked 6/4 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2014 in his third ODI.

Also, behind Jadeja's 5/36 against West Indies in CT 2013, this is the second-best bowling spell by an Indian in Champions Trophy history.

Speaking after his match-winning spell, Varun recalled being nervous initially due to lack of ODI experience with India but talks with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya helped him get better as match went on.

"First of all, I did feel nervous in the initial stages. I have not played many matches for India in the ODI format, but as the game went on, I felt better. Virat, Rohit, Shreyas and Hardik were talking to me, and that helped," said Varun.

The spinner found out just last night that he was playing the match.

"I was definitely expecting to play for the country, but on the other side, I was nervous. It was not a rank turner, but if you bowled in the right places, it was giving help. The way Kuldeep, Jaddu and Axar bowled, even the pace bowlers, it was a total team effort," he concluded.

Coming to the match, NZ won the toss and elected to bowl first. Indian top-order failed, and Men in Blue were reduced to 30/3. A 98-run stand between Iyer (79) and Axar Patel (42 in 61 balls, with five fours and a six) brought India back into the game. However, the dismissal of Iyer and KL Rahul (23 in 29 balls, with a four) reduced India to 182/6. A 41-run stand between Ravindra Jadeja (16 in 20 balls, with a four) and Hardik Pandya (45 in 45 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) helped India reach 249/9 in their 50 overs.

Matt Henry's pace worked well for the Kiwis as he picked 5/42 in his eight overs.

During the run-chase of 250 runs, Kiwis kept losing wickets regularly. Kane Williamson (81 in 120 balls, with seven fours) kept the team in fight, but spinner Varun Chakravarthy (5/42) unleashed a spin web that bamboozled Kiwis middle order. Kuldeep Yadav also took 2/56 in 9.3 overs, while Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja each took a wicket. (ANI)