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- By Gurmeet Batra
- Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND vs NZ T20 World Cup: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has warned that India's mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy remains a potent threat in the T20 World Cup final, despite his recent struggles.
Chakravarthy's costly outing against England in the semi-final, where he conceded 64 runs in four overs, has sparked apprehensions about India's spin attack. It was one of the most expensive spells by an Indian bowler in T20 World Cup history.
Santner acknowledged that Chakravarthy's current form dip could actually work in India's favour, as the Tamil Nadu spinner might be misjudged by opponents.
“For any bowler, when the pitch is flat, it’s a challenge. When it’s spinning or seaming, it can trouble the batters, but on a flat surface, it becomes difficult for bowlers. I think everyone can go for 60 on their day,” Santner said in a pre-match press conference.
“For Varun, he has to know that he is still a very good bowler. He is just one game away from changing the tide. It’s the same with any bowler or batter. If you are out of form, you are only one game away from being back. So it’s about going out there and proving it,” said the New Zealand skipper.
Santner thinks Chakravarthy is just one good match away from turning the tide, and his experience will be required in the high-pressure game.
“It’s always a challenge, but days like that happen. It doesn’t get much harder than that. You can bank on that experience going into the next game. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you think about what it looks like and whether you can do things slightly differently,” he added.
Santner also acknowledged that ace pace Jasprit Bumrah will be a key focus for his team ahead of the T20 World Cup final against India.
Bumrah's excellent form in the T20 World Cup has been a game-changer for India, with his death-over bowling against England in the semi-final sealing the hosts' place in the final. His ability to control the run flow and pick crucial wickets under pressure earned him praise from cricket legends like Faf du Plessis, who called him a "superpower" and "like having a genie.”
"Bumrah, yeah, I think he should be in everyone's conversation, the way he has been going. Against England, he looked pretty hard to hit. And he was obviously the game changer for India the other night," Santner said.
"We knew that was (Bumrah performing) always going to be the case. He's obviously a world-class bowler. But, you know, not just him, everyone has stepped up at different times. And as a team, that's where you want to be," the Black Caps skipper said.