Watch: Rohit Sharma fumes as Varun Chakravarthy skips team huddle, delivers animated pep talk
Published - 09 Mar 2025, 04:09 PM | Updated - 09 Mar 2025, 11:40 PM
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India National Cricket Team captain Rohit Sharma was visibly upset with Varun Chakravarthy for missing the team huddle during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final against the New Zealand National Cricket Team at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on March 9.
Rohit Sharma was giving an intense pep talk to rally the squad, but Varun Chakravarthy was not there, making the Indian skipper angry as he furiously called the mystery spinner to join the pep talk. The hitman’s animated gesture towards Chakravarthy went viral on social media.
Furious Rohit Sharma calls out Varun Chakravarthy for missing pep talk in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The incident unfolded during the drink break after 15 overs in Dubai. Varun was denied the wicket of Rachin Ravindra twice in the same over in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final between India and New Zealand.
— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) March 9, 2025
Speaking about the match, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai on Sunday. Rachin Ravindra gave the Black Caps a blistering start, but Kuldeep Yadav’s magical googly proved too much for the young opener, as he was dismissed for 37 runs off 29 balls studded with four boundaries and a single maximum.
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Indian spinners on roll against New Zealand in the final
Before this big setback, Varun Chakravarthy sent Will Young back to the pavilion for just 15 runs on 23 balls against the Men in Blue. Kane Williamson, who smashed a century in the semifinal against South Africa in Lahore, also failed to deliver in the high-pressure situation, as he was removed by Kuldeep Yadav for just 11 runs off 14 balls to put the Kiwis on the back foot.
Later, Ravindra Jadeja got the better of Tom Latham for 14 runs off 30 balls as the Black Caps were reeling at 108/4 against India. However, New Zealand’s situation could have been worse had the Indian players not dropped those series of catches in the final showdown.
Notably, the Indian cricket team faces an injury scare, as Axar Patel was forced off the field due to a hand injury during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against the Black Caps. The all-rounder was seen in visible pain while receiving treatment from the physio.
Rohit Sharma set to announce retirement from international cricket after the final!!
Meanwhile, big decisions could be taken on Rohit Sharma’s future after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. According to BCCI sources, Indian captain and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar is set to discuss the Hitman’s future after the tournament.
In Indian cricket, retirement decisions for senior players aren’t always made solely by the selectors, but they often involve discussions between the players, BCCI officials, and decision-makers. If India lifts the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, Rohit might make a big announcement.
However, to avoid speculation about his retirement ahead of the CT 2025 final, Rohit skipped the pre-match press conference. And even the vice-captain, Shubman Gill, also played it safe, making it clear that there had been no discussions about Rohit’s retirement.
Notably, Rohit already retired from T20I cricket after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, and his Test return is also uncertain, and with India’s focus set to shift to the 2027 ODI World Cup, the think tank might push the captain to take a call on his future to make way for the young blood.
