Varun Chakaravarthy: Pitch Skid Suits My Bowling Style Ahead of India vs SA

Against South Africa, Chakaravarthy has picked 22 wickets in eight T20Is, including his best bowling figures of 5-17 in Gqeberha in 2024. As of now, Chakaravarthy has nine wickets in four matches at an economy of 5.2 and a strike rate of 8, placing him joint second on the tournament's wicket-taking charts behind USA pacer Shadley Van Schalkwyk.

"Well, those matches were played a month before, and obviously, things have changed after that, but I would say the wicket did help me a bit because it skids more. As I told you, the pitch, if it provides more skid, it sometimes helps me because I'm generally quicker through the air, and so I get a little more help here," he said to broadcasters ahead of the game.

On his role as a bowler in the middle overs, Chakaravarthy said, "It's just taking and picking wickets. So my role in the team is to pick wickets, and I do bowl quite often in the powerplay also because in the last two series, all the matches I have bowled in the powerplay, and I'm used to that also."

The leg-spinner said the atmosphere at the ground was special. "It means a lot because this ground, when it's packed, is totally different. It has a different vibe to it, and we are all looking forward to this experience here."

He acknowledged the challenge of defending totals on smaller grounds. " It is challenging because of the small ground and flat wickets. I hope we can play more in Sri Lanka because of the turning tracks, but these are the conditions that we have in front of us. So I can't complain much. Things have been going well for the team, and hopefully we can continue it."

- IANS