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Following India‘s triumphant ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, discussions have intensified over the tournament’s standout performers. While New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra was officially named Player of the Tournament, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has put forward a strong argument for a different contender. Despite multiple match-winning performances, some key names were overlooked for the top honour, sparking debate among cricket experts and fans. Ashwin, who closely followed India’s campaign, believes that one player made an exceptional impact, turning matches in India’s favor at crucial moments.
Ravichandran Ashwin reveals his choice for Player of the Tournament
Ashwin strongly believed that Varun Chakaravarthy played a defining role in India’s title-winning campaign. Coming in as a replacement for Harshit Rana in India’s group-stage match against New Zealand, the mystery spinner made an immediate impact, announcing himself with a five-wicket haul.
Despite playing only four matches, Chakaravarthy finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with nine scalps. His ability to trouble batters with deceptive variations made him India’s go-to bowler in the knockout stages.
“Whatever said and done, the Player of the Tournament, in my view, was Varun Chakaravarthy. He didn’t play the whole tournament, but he made a huge difference. If he wasn’t there in the final, I think this game would have been very, very different,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
One of the standout moments of the final was Chakaravarthy’s dismissal of Glenn Phillips, a delivery that showcased his intelligence and skill. The mystery spinner went wide of the crease, bowled a sharp googly, and deceived Phillips, who had no idea what hit him.
“Just look at how he dismissed Glenn Phillips. He wasn’t covering the stumps, so Varun went wide of the crease and bowled that googly. That was a game-changing moment. If I were the judge, I would have given him the Player of the Tournament award,” the former cricketer emphasized.
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A key contender for the T20 World Cup 2026
Ashwin further argued that Chakaravarthy’s performances make him a certainty for India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. He believed India’s best bowling attack for the tournament would include Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, as their combined skill set can dismantle any batting lineup.
“Chakaravarthy, Bumrah, and Kuldeep should be automatic selections for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Write it down now. This is one hell of a bowling attack, and we must stick with it to defend our T20 World Cup title,” Ashwin concluded.
Chakaravarthy’s recent performances in T20 cricket have also bolstered his case. Earlier this year, he became the No. 2 ranked T20I bowler in the world, following an impressive series against England. His ability to control run flow while being a wicket-taker makes him a lethal weapon in white-ball cricket.
