Former Indian Test opener Sadagopan Ramesh reckons Varun Chakravarthy should have been picked ahead of Harshit Rana for the three-match ODI series against Australia. Ramesh reckons that if Mohammed Shami had been picked ahead of Rana and Chakravarthy, then it would have been fine.

Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav are the three spinners in the ODI squad and the selectors have also ignored veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. 

Interestingly, Harshit Rana is part of both the ODI and T20I squads against Australia. Meanwhile, Chakravarthy had picked nine wickets in three matches of the Champions Trophy and had played an instrumental role in India’s success.

Sadagopan Ramesh said on his YouTube Channel, “Varun Chakaravarthy shouldn’t have been there instead of any of the other spinners picked in the ODI squad. Instead, the question should be Harshit Rana or Varun Chakaravarthy. Irrespective of where the game is being played around the world, my pick would be Varun Chakaravarthy. If it was atleast someone like Mohammed Shami, who is high quality, then it’s fine.”

Meanwhile, Ramesh highlighted that the selectors have picked Varun Chakravarthy in T20Is for the same Australian conditions.

“You’ve picked Varun Chakaravarthy for the same Australian conditions in the T20 squad. So for four overs in the same conditions, you’ve picked Varun Chakaravarthy thinking he’ll be your best spinner. But saying he won’t be able to bowl 10 overs in the same conditions feels contradictory,” said Ramesh (via the aforementioned source).

Varun has picked 40 wickets in 24 T20I matches at an average of 15.60 and an economy rate of 6.89.

The first ODI between India and Australia will be played on October 19.