New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner believes his team will be better prepared to face Varun Chakravarthy in the Champions Trophy final, having already encountered him in the group stage.
While India boasts many experienced players, Santner acknowledges the significant threat posed by the relatively inexperienced Chakravarthy. Despite playing only three ODIs, Chakravarthy has impressed with eight wickets, including a five-wicket haul against New Zealand in their previous match.
Chakravarthy’s performance extends beyond the New Zealand game, as he also troubled Virat Kohli in net practice and delivered a solid performance against Australia in the semi-final, taking 2 wickets.
Santner suggests that facing Chakravarthy once already will benefit the New Zealand batsmen in understanding his bowling style. He recognizes Chakravarthy as a world-class bowler, especially effective with his ‘mystery’ spin. Santner himself experienced a challenging delivery from Chakravarthy in their group match.
Acknowledging the spin-friendly conditions, Santner anticipates a spin challenge not just from Chakravarthy but also from India’s other spinners like Axar Patel, Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, who were effective in their previous encounter.
However, Santner expresses confidence in his team’s ability to play spin, emphasizing the importance of players adapting their techniques, whether through sweeping or using their feet, and having the freedom to play their natural game.
New Zealand also possesses a strong spin attack with Santner, Bracewell, Phillips, and Ravindra, aiming to apply pressure and induce false shots from the Indian batsmen.
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