The BCCI’s senior selection committee announced on Tuesday that mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been added to the ODI squad ahead of the three-match series against England.

Speculation regarding his inclusion grew after Varun was seen training with the Indian squad at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Tuesday, preparing for the upcoming series

Lead by Rohit Sharma and featuring star batsman Virat Kohli, the team arrived in Nagpur on Monday, following the conclusion of the T20I series in Mumbai. Although Varun was absent from the squad visuals at the Nagpur airport, his participation in the training session on Tuesday afternoon sparked further speculation regarding his inclusion

According to a BCCI media release, “The Men’s Selection Committee has added Varun Chakaravarthy to India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against England.”

While he has not yet been officially included in India’s ICC Champions Trophy lineup, Varun’s addition to the ODI side may enhance his chances of being selected for the major tournament, where all matches will be played in Dubai.

Initially, Varun was not included in the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy announced by the BCCI’s senior selection committee. However, with changes permitted until February 12, his performance in the ODI series could influence his selection for the tournament.

The Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, and there are concerns regarding star pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness. Bumrah has not played competitively since the Sydney Test and is currently being closely monitored by the board’s medical staff at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

In the event that Bumrah is unable to participate, it is reported that Harshit Rana may be considered as a potential replacement. Furthermore, as Kuldeep Yadav returns from injury and is expected to be the primary spinner, the team management will be eager to assess Varun’s capabilities in the 50-over format.

Varun’s selection comes shortly after former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin suggested the possibility of him making it to the Champions Trophy squad. The Tamil Nadu spinner had a remarkable performance in the recent T20I series where India triumphed 4-1, earning the Player of the Series title by taking 14 wickets, including a five-wicket haul.

“I suspect Varun will get a chance to play in the ODI series against England. However, I don’t believe it’s easy to bring him directly into the Champions Trophy squad as he hasn’t played ODIs. I think they’ll give him a shot in this series,” Ashwin commented on his YouTube channel.

“If they don’t provide him this opportunity, it could complicate matters. But, regardless, I congratulate Varun on winning his first player of the tournament award. He’s currently the standout spinner in T20I cricket, and I wish him continued growth,” he added.

India’s updated squad for the ODI series against England: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.

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