IND vs NZ: Mitchell Santner’s big statement on Varun Chakravarthy before T20 World Cup final, says…

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has shown confidence in India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 final against India at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8. Santner said Varun remains a big threat despite his recent expensive spells and believes one good performance can bring him back to top form.

Santner: Varun is still a very good bowler

Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Saturday, Santner defended Varun after he gave away 64 runs against England in the semi-final. Santner explained that bowling on flat pitches is tough for any bowler.

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“I mean, we’ve all seen how good he is, and I think the challenge for any bowler is when it is flat, what does it look like when it’s spinning and when it’s seaming, it’s obviously a challenge for every batter, but when it is flat, what does that look like and I think everyone goes for 60 on their day,” Santner said in the pre-match press conference.

“So I think it’s, again, for Varun, and I think he’s got to know that he’s still a very good bowler, and is only one game away from changing the tide. And it’s the same with any bowler or any batter. If they’re out of form, they’re only one game away from being back in form,” he added.

Varun’s strong start and recent dip

Varun Chakravarthy was the world’s No. 1 bowler and in excellent form during the group stage. He took 9 wickets in 4 matches and maintained an economy rate of 5.2. His key breakthroughs helped India stay unbeaten in the group stage.

However, his performance dropped in the Super 8 stage and the semifinal. In those four matches, he took only 4 wickets and went for runs at an economy rate of 11.6, raising some concerns for the Indian team about their bowling strategy and the potential impact on their chances in the final.

India and New Zealand reach final on different paths

Both teams reached the final with strong campaigns. India topped their group and qualified for the semifinals with a must-win win over West Indies. New Zealand advanced on a better net run rate after finishing level on points with Pakistan in the Super 8.

India is aiming to become the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times. New Zealand is chasing their maiden T20 World Cup title after finishing runners-up in 2021.

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2026 Final: Mitchell Santner says ‘Goal is to silence the crowd’, warns of Bumrah’s game-changing threat

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