ICC Champions Trophy: Varun Chakravarthy over Rachin Ravindra as the Player of the Tournament? Ashwin suggests

The trophy has come home, and it's all that Indian cricket fans can think about at the moment. India secured their second consecutive ICC championship title within a year as they claimed the ICC Champions Trophy. The Men in Blue defeated New Zealand by four wickets in a match that provided ample thrills. Among the top eight ranked ODI teams, two of the most formidable-looking sides booked their spots in the final. The Kiwis didn’t make it easy for India as the Men in Blue charged toward the title. However, their efforts fell short as India chased down the 252-run target in Dubai on Sunday. While the victory now belongs to India, former Indian spinner Ravi Ashwin has shared his thoughts on the most crucial performer for the team.

Ravi Ashwin thinks Varun Chakravarthy deserved the "Player of the Tournament" title at the ICC Champions trophy

India’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign was the result of a collective effort from the players. Different individuals rose to the occasion when needed, leading the team to the title victory. However, the most critical factor in India's triumph was the team’s spin department. Restricting New Zealand to 251 in the final was a scintillating effort from the spin quartet. Specifically, Varun Chakaravarthy impressed the most. The spinner was a late addition to India’s squad for the tournament. Moreover, he joined the Playing XI only after India had already qualified for the semi-finals.

However, in the limited opportunities he received, Chakaravarthy dismantled the opposition with his mystery spin. On his Champions Trophy debut in the India vs New Zealand group-stage match, Chakaravarthy scalped a fifer as India won the low-scoring match by 44 runs. In the semi-final against Australia, the spinner removed Travis Head before the opener could become a major threat to India. In the final, meanwhile, Chakaravarthy picked up two wickets, including the crucial early dismissal of Will Young, trapping him LBW.

In just three games, Chakaravarthy claimed nine wickets. While Matt Henry finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 10 scalps across four matches, Chakaravarthy wasn’t far behind. His consistent impact led Ravi Ashwin to believe that he was the most deserving candidate for the Player of the Tournament accolade. Ashwin opined that Varun should have received the award, highlighting his game-changing influence and ‘X factor.’

"Whatever said and done, the Player of the Tournament, in my view, was Varun Chakaravarthy. He didn't play the entire tournament. He was such a big difference. If Varun Chakaravarthy wasn't there, I think this game would have been very different. He brought that X-factor and the novelty factor. If I were the judge, I would have given it to Varun. He was the biggest difference," Ashwin said.

While Chakaravarthy was Ashwin’s choice, the award ultimately went to New Zealand’s all-rounder Rachin Ravindra. The 25-year-old made a strong comeback from injury to smash two centuries in the tournament. After missing the tournament opener, Ravindra joined the Playing XI for New Zealand’s match against Bangladesh.

A player for big occasions, the 25-year-old smashed a century on his Champions Trophy debut, marking his fourth ton in an ICC tournament. Moving ahead, he scored another century in the semi-final against South Africa. Despite missing the opening game against Pakistan, the batter accumulated 263 runs across four matches to win the Golden Bat. Moreover, his contributions in the tournament included three wickets, one of which was the crucial scalp of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in the final.