With Varun’s mystery solved, India must turn to Kuldeep to defend T20 World Cup

India are through to another T20 World Cup final, but the manner of their passage has raised serious questions about the balance of their bowling attack.

The defending champions edged England by seven runs in a game that felt like a festival of hitting. A staggering 499 runs were scored in 40 overs, turning the contest into one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament.

England’s chase of 254 looked unlikely for long periods. But Jacob Bethell’s stunning 105 off 48 balls changed everything. The young left-hander played a fearless innings that kept England alive almost single-handedly. Sixes kept flying into the Mumbai night. Every over brought fresh tension.

India eventually held their nerve. Shivam Dube delivered a composed final over to seal a seven-run victory and send the defending champions into Sunday’s final.

There was relief, celebration and the familiar joy of another World Cup final appearance. But beneath that joy lingered a question that India cannot ignore.

India’s bowling attack looked stretched in the semi-final. Jasprit Bumrah once again had to shoulder the responsibility of controlling the game. And in the middle overs, one of India’s key bowlers struggled badly to contain the scoring.

Which brings the focus back to a selection decision that is becoming increasingly difficult to justify.

Why is Kuldeep Yadav still sitting on the bench while Varun Chakravarthy struggles for rhythm and control?

VARUN’S RHYTHM HAS DESERTED HIM

Varun Chakravarthy arrived at the T20 World Cup as one of India’s X factors. Between the previous T20 World Cup and the current edition, no bowler from a Full Member nation had taken more wickets. The mystery spinner had grown into a central figure in India’s white-ball plans and even played a role in the team’s Champions Trophy triumph.

The tournament began exactly the way India would have hoped. In the group stage, Chakravarthy picked up 12 wickets in just four matches. Batters struggled to pick his variations. His carrom balls and googlies forced mistakes, and for a while it seemed India had found a bowler who could control the middle overs while still taking wickets.

But the Super 8 stage told a different story.

Against South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies, Chakravarthy began to lose control. The runs started to flow, and the pressure he usually builds through dot balls slowly disappeared. His economy rate during the Super 8 phase rose sharply to 10.16, well above his usual standard of around seven runs per over.

The numbers underline the scale of the problem. Out of the 72 deliveries Chakravarthy bowled in the Super 8, only 20 were dot balls, a dot ball percentage of 27.77. For a spinner who thrives on tightening the screws and forcing batters into mistakes, that figure is worrying.

The struggles became most visible in the semi-final against England.

Chakravarthy conceded 64 runs in his four overs, the most expensive spell by an Indian bowler in T20 World Cup history. England’s Jacob Bethell led the charge, smashing 41 runs from just 13 balls against the spinner.

Varun Chakravarthy had the most expensive spell by an Indian bowler in T20 World Cups. (Image: AFP)

The spell also entered the record books for the wrong reasons. It became the joint second most expensive spell in T20 World Cup history, matching Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, who conceded 64 runs against Pakistan in 2007.

For Chakravarthy, it also continued a concerning pattern.

He has now conceded 35 runs or more in three consecutive T20I matches for only the second time in his career. The previous instance came during the bilateral series against South Africa and New Zealand in late 2025 and early 2026, when he leaked 53, 37, 35 and 36 runs in successive games.

Batters are rotating strike with ease. Loose deliveries are being punished quickly. And for the first time in a long while, the mystery spinner suddenly looks short of answers.

BUMRAH CONTINUES TO CARRY INDIA

If India is in the final, a lot of the credit must go to Jasprit Bumrah. On a surface where bowlers had little margin for error, Bumrah produced a spell of remarkable control. He finished with 1 for 33 in four overs, easily the best figures among India’s bowlers on the night.

His wicket of Harry Brook came at a crucial moment. The batter mistimed a cutter, and Axar Patel ran back to complete a sharp catch.

But Bumrah’s biggest impact came in the death overs. When England needed momentum, he delivered a series of accurate yorkers. Singles replaced boundaries. The pressure slowly shifted back to India’s favour.

One tight over conceded just six runs, leaving England needing two huge overs to complete the chase. That moment effectively sealed the match.

Jasprit Bumrah was the difference for India. (Image: AP)

Bumrah’s numbers in world tournaments remain extraordinary. In this T20 World Cup, his economy rate stands at 6.3. In an era where totals regularly cross 200, that figure stands out.

Across all T20 World Cups, his economy rate is an astonishing 5.63. India’s reliance on him, however, is becoming very clear. Every time the game starts slipping away, Bumrah is called upon to restore order. He has done it repeatedly. But India cannot depend on him forever.

On a day when Bumrah does not deliver, India will need another bowler to step forward.

That is where Kuldeep Yadav enters the conversation.

WHY KULDEEP SHOULD PLAY THE FINAL

Kuldeep Yadav has played only one match in this tournament. His lone appearance came against Pakistan in Colombo, where India played three spinners. Kuldeep returned impressive figures of 1 for 14, showing control and variation.

After that match, he was left out again once the tournament moved to India. The decision looks even more puzzling when one examines his recent record.

Since his T20I comeback, Kuldeep has taken 57 wickets in just 28 innings. That means he strikes once every 11.2 balls. Among bowlers from Full Member nations with at least 50 wickets, no one has a better strike rate.

Kuldeep Yadav was once deemed indispensable, now he finds himself on the bench. (Image: AP)

Kuldeep was also central to India’s T20 World Cup title triumph in 2024, where he picked up 10 wickets in five matches.

Over the past few years, he has also evolved as a T20 bowler. Since the 2022 IPL, Kuldeep has become quicker through the air. He releases the ball faster and often targets a slightly shorter length. The ball skids off the surface, giving batters less time to react.

Yet he has not lost the qualities that make wrist spin dangerous. Kuldeep still generates heavy revolutions on the ball. That produces drift, dip and sharp turn, making it difficult for batters to line him up.

Against New Zealand, India’s opponents in the final, Kuldeep also performed well. He has taken eight wickets in seven T20I matches against them. His average is 22.6, with an economy rate of 7.5 and a strike rate of 18. His best figures against New Zealand are 2 for 26.

During the five-match T20I series in India in January 2026, Kuldeep also delivered key spells such as 2 for 35 and 2 for 39, helping India restrict the visitors at important moments.

India has largely stuck with a settled bowling combination throughout this tournament. Chakravarthy and Axar Patel have been the preferred spin options, while Washington Sundar was tried briefly during the group stage.

Continuity often helps in tournament cricket. But form cannot be ignored.

Right now, Varun Chakravarthy looks short on confidence and control. The pressure is beginning to show.

Kuldeep Yadav, meanwhile, offers a proven wicket-taking option with a unique skill set. He can attack batters, break partnerships and change the tempo of the game.