India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup: The Varun Chakravarthy Middle-Overs Plan

India versus Pakistan Twenty20 games generally develop around the powerplay and the final overs. But in Colombo, on a pitch that’s been played on, the real advantage is to be found in the middle overs – when the ball begins to turn, batsmen begin to force their shots, and captains begin to look for an error.

That’s when Varun Chakravarthy is much more than simply ‘a spinner in the team’: he’s the phase controller – the bowler India can employ to slow Pakistan down without appearing to be on the back foot, and to get wickets without giving up easy scoring opportunities.

Varun is in good shape and with some self-belief, after a spell which reminded everyone why he is so difficult to get set against when the pitch isn’t a batsman’s dream. He doesn’t need to get a lot of spin to dismiss you; he needs to create uncertainty.

If the Indian team management has just one clear goal for this India versus Pakistan Twenty20, it’s this: don’t allow Pakistan’s top order to move through overs 7–15 without pressure. Make them choose between taking singles and taking a risk, and then punish the first impatient attempt at a big hit.

In Detail

Why this pitch makes Varun a “middle-overs first” bowler

A pitch at the Premadasa Stadium that has been used usually turns a Twenty20 into a test of timing, instead of strength. Hitters can still get boundaries, but only if the ball comes onto the bat at the correct speed and height.

Varun does well in that uncertainty as he doesn’t offer a consistent rhythm. Even when the ball seems “flat”, he changes speed enough to bring batsmen into their shots too soon.

The other benefit is movement. Varun’s best balls don’t always spin a lot sideways; they go straight on, dip late, or arrive a little slower than the batsman is expecting. On a worn pitch, that tiny delay is the difference between a good hit and an edge flying up in the air.

So, if you’re devising a Varun plan for an India versus Pakistan Twenty20, you build it around control in the first instance, and wickets in the second. The wickets will come when Pakistan attempt to break the control.

The most straightforward mission statement

India don’t need Varun to bowl a “magic over”. They need him to make Pakistan’s scoring feel costly.

If Pakistan score 55 in the powerplay, India can still win the innings if they hold them to 65–75 by the 10th over, with one wicket in hand. That is when batsmen start to try and score more quickly.

Varun’s job is to win two contests at the same time: to cut down boundaries, and to increase the number of bad shots. When those two things happen together, the shape of the innings will fall apart on its own.

When should Varun be brought on?

The biggest error teams make with “mystery” spinners is to treat them as emergency bowlers. You only bring them on once the batsmen are set, and then ask them to fix what should have been prevented.

In this India versus Pakistan Twenty20, India should think about introducing Varun as early as the 7th over if Pakistan start well. Don’t allow Pakistan to get into an easy scoring rhythm.

If Pakistan lose early wickets and move slowly into the middle overs, India can still use Varun – but for a different purpose. Rather than “stop runs”, it becomes “end the partnership”.

Either way, the first over from Varun should send out a message: the simple singles are no longer there, and the chance of a boundary ball will be infrequent.

The Varun toolkit India will depend on (and why it works here)

Varun’s strength isn’t just mystery; it’s variation without obvious clues. He can bowl more quickly without seeming to rush, and slower without making it float.

On a pitch that has been used, India want him to live in the difficult lengths – the back of a ‘full’ ball, and slightly shorter than a ‘drive’ ball. That’s where batsmen can’t fully commit.

He will also use changes in pace to set up the field. Bowl one quicker into the pitch to force a jab, then follow it with a slower one to force the big swing.

The important thing is self-control. Varun becomes easy to hit when he attempts too many variations at once. In a match as important as this, the plan has to be straightforward.

Contest 1: Varun versus Babar Azam – don’t try to get the wicket, build the trap

Babar’s game is based on timing and clean shots through cover and midwicket. On slow pitches, his most valuable skill is still control – he can keep Pakistan steady without taking unnecessary risks.

That’s exactly why India shouldn’t attack him strongly on the first ball. The wicket ball will come after you’ve taken away his favourite single.

The Varun plan against Babar should begin with a tight line on off-stump and a field that blocks the push to cover and point. If Babar can’t score with singles, he will look for a release shot.

Once Babar shows the first sign of forcing – an early sweep, a strong slog, or a shot that he has made up – Varun can change pace and line. The aim isn’t to “beat him in the air”. The aim is to make him hit the ball to a boundary fielder. For a clever India versus Pakistan T20 strategy, the field should be set to guard the longer boundary on the leg side, have a sweeper at cover, and – crucially – include one inviting space which appears to be a single, but isn’t. Players really dislike that sort of half-single area.

Match-up number two: Varun against Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman – deny their swing.

Left-handed players enjoy deliveries which come into their hitting zone, and particularly if they’re able to swing at midwicket. Varun can interrupt this by bowling more directly and with a little more speed, at the start.

When facing a left-hander, India ought to have Varun bowl at the stumps and compel the batter to hit to the longer side. If the ball goes quickly, a large hit becomes a risk.

The next step is to reduce pace. As soon as the left-hander tries to generate power, the slower ball will hold up, changing what would have been a “six attempt” into a catchable, bad shot.

The fielding needs to support the strategy. India should keep long-on and deep midwicket solid, and make cover the zone where the pressure is for a single. If the left-hander can’t get easy runs, they’ll attempt to get over the infield.

Varun doesn’t require five different types of ball here. One fast, skidding delivery and one slower “holding” ball will be enough, provided the line of the bowling remains accurate.

Match-up number three: Varun against Salman Ali Agha and the middle order – make them decide.

Pakistan’s middle order is able to be dangerous when they are permitted to play “freely”. They’re at their best when the run rate is reasonable and the bowlers give way first.

Varun’s plan for the middle overs should be to get Pakistan’s middle order to bat with an increasing required rate – even in the first innings. That is the way players become anxious.

If Agha, or another steadying influence, is at the wicket, India should regard Varun’s overs as “dot-ball builders”. Each dot ball causes the next player to take on more danger.

The wicket often comes when the player attempts to re-establish the tempo with one shot. That is when Varun’s change of pace and Pakistan’s impatience come together.

In this India versus Pakistan T20, India do not need three wickets in the middle of the innings. One important wicket, plus pressure, is generally enough to win the period.

How India should combine Varun with Axar and Kuldeep.

Varun is most useful when Pakistan are unable to settle into a single spin pattern. Because of this, the combination of bowlers is as important as the bowler themselves.

Axar Patel brings control and a speed which rarely gives up boundaries. If Axar bowls from one end, Varun can attack from the other without being concerned that both ends will concede runs.

Kuldeep Yadav – if India play him – completely alters the visual impression. Kuldeep’s wristspin poses different questions – dip, spin, and the wrong’un which beats the outside of the bat. Players are unable to address both Kuldeep and Varun with the same plan.

The best order isn’t “all Varun in one go”. It’s alternating looks. Give Pakistan Axar’s restraint, then Varun’s uncertainty, then Kuldeep’s threat of a wicket, then back to Varun when the player believes they’ve worked it out.

That change is what makes a pitch which has been used feel even slower. Players start to wait, and waiting is fatal in T20.

A practical over-by-over blueprint for India’s middle overs.

Here’s a clear middle-overs plan which fits how India usually manage control and taking wickets.

What’s important is being able to change things up. Should Pakistan put in a lot of left-handed players, India could move Varun’s overs a little to the later stage. And if Pakistan are losing batsmen, India might use Varun to break up any partnerships forming.

What Pakistan will do to deal with Varun

Pakistan will not just sit back and allow Varun to be in control of this phase of the game. They will attempt three things.

India need to be calm in their response. Do not alter the plan after one boundary is hit. Varun’s best overs often include one hit, then four balls where no runs are scored.

Dew and weather: why Varun might still be the best spinning option

When dew appears, spinners often lose their hold on the ball, and captains become anxious about using them towards the end of the innings. This is where Varun’s style can still be useful.

As he bowls fairly flat and depends on changing speed and how he releases the ball, he doesn’t require a great deal of grip to be good. He needs to be in control of the length and have a ball that runs through.

If the ball gets wet, India should make Varun aim for a good length on the pitch, not bowl any ‘floaters’ and have someone protecting the straight boundary. Make Pakistan hit the ball square with a wet ball and a slow pitch.

Even one ‘wet ball’ over of six singles is a benefit. It makes Pakistan need to find boundaries later on, against India’s best death bowlers.

The section of the game

Most India versus Pakistan Twenty20 games have a time when one side seems to be doing well, and the other has to change the feeling of the game.

On this pitch, that moment is likely to be overs 7 to 10. If Pakistan reach the 10th over with 85 runs for the loss of one wicket, they’ll be sure they can finish strongly. If they get to it at 70 for 2, the innings becomes a discussion.

Varun’s job is to get Pakistan into the second of those situations. Not by bowling ‘impossible’ balls, but by making them work for every run.

If India get one wicket in that period – particularly a top-order batsman who is keeping things steady – the rest of the innings is different. New batsmen won’t want to take risks straight away, and the rate at which runs are required will be more obvious.

That is why Varun’s plan for the middle of the innings is more important than any spectacular bowling he might do. He is able to change the match without needing a spell that becomes popular on social media.

What success looks like

for Varun (and what it doesn’t)

Success is not necessarily 3 wickets for 15 runs. In a game like this, success could be 2 overs for 10 runs and one wicket, as it changes how Pakistan bat later in the innings.