![Sourav Ganguly backs Varun Chakravarthy [Source: AFP, @Thyview/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768127328513_VarunChakravarthyandSouravGanguly.jpg?type=hq)
Sourav Ganguly backs Varun Chakravarthy [Source: AFP, @Thyview/x]
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has backed Suryakumar Yadav-led Team India to clinch next month’s 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The cricketer-turned-administrator also believes that India’s strong spin attack will have a big role to play at the showpiece event in India and Sri Lanka.
Sourav Ganguly further highlighted Varun Chakravarthy as a potential game-changer, backing the mystery spinner’s skill set to thrive on subcontinent conditions and play a decisive role in India’s T20 World Cup campaign.
Sourav Ganguly banks on number one ranked bowler to win it for India
During an interaction with PTI, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly claimed that world number one ranked T20I bowler Varun Chakravarthy will have a big role to play in India’s title defense at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Sourav Ganguly also believes that Team India has a strong spin attack, with Chakravarthy being accompanied by the likes of Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. He said, “India is always my favourite team. They have a strong spin attack and if Chakravarthy is fit then it's good for India.”
Varun Chakravarthy’s road towards T20 World Cup 2026
Varun Chakravarthy is currently ranked number one on the ICC charts among men’s bowlers in T20I cricket with 804 rating points, i.e., over 100 more than the second-placed Jacob Duffy from New Zealand.
The 34-year-old also recently won the ‘Player of the Series’ award during India’s 3-1 T20I series win over South Africa at home. The cricketer picked up 10 wickets in just four innings at a splendid bowling average of 11.20, which included a match-winning four-wicket haul in the decider at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
Overall, Varun Chakravarthy has picked up 55 T20I wickets in just 31 innings at an average of 14.87 and a strike rate of just 12.8. While the wily leg-spinner had made his T20I debut for India back in mid-2021, the Tamil Nadu cricketer only became India’s T20I regular in October 2024, i.e., shortly after Gautam Gambhir was appointed as national head coach.
Quite recently, Varun Chakravarthy played a couple of Vijay Hazare fixtures for Tamil Nadu, picking up six wickets in the process at a bowling average of just eight. Before the 2026 T20 World Cup, Varun is lined up to helm India’s spin attack in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home.
