Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh kicked aside as India’s No.1 T20I bowler picked by CSK star

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Subramaniam Badrinath has picked a surprising name as the No.1 T20I bowler of the India National Cricket Team.

While naming his pick, Subramaniam Badrinath shockingly snubbed the India National Cricket Team pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and the leading T20I wicket-taker for the Men In Blue, Arshdeep Singh.

He is more valuable than even Jasprit Bumrah - Subramaniam Badrinath

Speaking on Star Sports, after the conclusion of the five-match T20I series between India and Australia, Badrinath said that Varun Chakravarthy is a more valuable asset for Team India than Jasprit Bumrah in T20I cricket and is the No.1 bowler.

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The former CSK player lavished rich praise on the ace spinner and said that he is quite versatile and can bowl in any phase of the match. He stated:

"Numbers tell us that Varun Chakravarthy is the No. 1 T20 bowler in the world. He is more valuable than even Bumrah. Whenever the runs are flowing in the powerplay or the middle overs or even in the 18th over, Varun is the go-to bowler.

"He has gone to a different level with his game. A superb comeback after being given a chance initially and getting dropped because of fitness. But in this second phase after his comeback, he has taken his game to the next level."

He's a huge asset for India, in fact, even a weapon - Subramaniam Badrinath

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and the pitches on offer are expected to be spin-friendly in nature.

Meanwhile, Subramaniam Badrinath feels that Varun Chakaravarthy will be the key weapon for India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, and the team's success will depend a lot on how he performs in the competition.

"He's a huge asset for India, in fact, even a weapon. Going forward, with the T20 World Cup in India, he will be the most crucial factor. If Varun has a good day, there is a great chance the Indian team will have a good day," said Badrinath.

Varun Chakravarthy is currently at the No.1 spot in ICC T20I Rankings

The 34-year-old Varun Chakravarthy is the first-choice spinner of Team India in T20I cricket, and he has received great backing from the Gautam Gambhir-led team management since his return to the Indian setup.

Varun Chakravarthy has been given consistent opportunities, and he has repaid the faith of the team management by delivering insane bowling performances.

He currently occupies the No.1 position in the ICC Men's T20I Bowling Rankings. Overall, he has played 29 T20I matches for India and picked up 45 wickets at an average of 15.68, an economy of 6.88, and a strike rate of 13.6.

Varun Chakravarthy will be next seen in action in the home T20I series against the South Africa National Cricket Team and will be looking to continue his red-hot form.

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