Basit Ali, a former Pakistani cricketer, recently heaped praise on Indian leg spinner Varun Chakravarthy for his outstanding performance in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against England. Chakravarthy was named the Player of the Series for his remarkable 14 wickets in five matches, including a memorable five-wicket haul in the third T20I in Pune. Basit compared Chakravarthy to Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan and expressed his belief that the 33-year-old would also excel in India’s ODI team.
In a YouTube video, Basit Ali commended Chakravarthy’s rise in international cricket, highlighting his 31 wickets in just 12 T20I matches since his comeback. The former cricketer also noted that Chakravarthy’s performance in the England series set a new record for the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in a bilateral series.
Basit Ali also discussed the pressure that the younger generation of Indian players, including Chakravarthy, Tilak Varma, Abhishe Sharma, Shivam Dube, and Ravi Bishnoi, are putting on senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He emphasized the fearless approach of the new crop of players and how they have shown their capabilities in comparison to the senior players.
The upcoming three-match ODI series between India and England will provide an opportunity for Sharma and Kohli to showcase their skills once again. Basit Ali highlighted the importance of this series for the senior players, especially with the emergence of talented youngsters in the Indian team.
In regards to India’s dominant performance in the T20I series against England, Basit Ali acknowledged the hosts’ complete domination over the visitors. Despite England winning the toss in the fifth T20I, India put up a massive total of 247 runs, with Abhishek Sharma playing a crucial role in the onslaught. Basit praised India’s proactive approach in targeting a big score, considering the dew factor, and commended their strategic thinking throughout the series.
Overall, Basit Ali was impressed by India’s performance in the T20I series and expressed his excitement for the upcoming ODI series between India and England, where he expects a tough competition between the two teams.
