'I would not even let Varun Chakaravarthy come to the ground' - Irfan Pathan's huge remark on Team India star after IND vs ENG semifinal

While India stormed into the final after beating England by seven runs in a pulsating contest at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5, Irfan Pathan believes that the team management has to focus on bringing Varun Chakaravarthy back into a better frame of mind.

The mystery spinner had a terrific start to the tournament, as he bagged nine wickets from the first four games he played. However, since the Super 8 stage, he has played four games and conceded runs at an economy rate of 11.63. In this phase, he has only managed to pick up four wickets.

Pathan opined that Chakaravarthy's confidence is dipping. The former India all-rounder said that if he had been in the Indian camp, he would have asked the Tamil Nadu spinner not to come for practice and directly play the final against New Zealand on Sunday, March 8. Pathan feels that switching his mind off for two days could help him get into a better mind space.

“It will be very important how quickly we can bring Varun Chakaravarthy back into a better frame of mind. I feel that his confidence is going down. If I were in the Indian team camp, I would make sure that for the next two days not many people talk to him. I would not even let him come to the ground. If I am backing him and planning to play him, then I would keep him away from the ground and let him come directly on the day of the final. I would completely switch his mind off for two days and try to bring him towards positivity. But I would not make him practice," the cricketer-turned-commentator said on his YouTube channel.

“Tell me, what difference will practice make in just one day? He has been practicing regularly anyway, but it feels like the practice is not going in the right direction. He is practicing short deliveries, which is not really his strength. Right now, it feels like his confidence is dropping. So just leave him alone for two days. Let him come on the day of the final and perform. That would be the hope. The team management will surely think about what to do with him, but I would say do not make him practice. That is my thinking," Pathan added.

The grand final will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. New Zealand have never won the coveted title. Meanwhile, India are in pursuit of creating history as a win on Sunday could help them become the first team to win the T20 World Cup thrice. They will also become the first team to win back-to-back editions of the tournament.