India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy praised India’s batting against spinners after they registered a seven-wicket win against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Sunday. India comfortably chased down the target of 157 runs with Abhishek Sharma top-scoring with 82 runs off just 32 balls. The Indian opener batted with an aggressive approach and took Afghanistan bowlers to the cleaners.

Ishan Kishan also scored a decent knock of 42 runs off 33 balls and added 121 runs with Sharma. 

Meanwhile, all the Afghanistan spinners were expensive, including Rashid Khan, as they conceded their runs at an economy rate of more than eight.

Varun Chakravarthy said in the post-match press conference, “While sitting in the dressing room, I was just telling someone that, against our team’s batting line-up, you can’t bowl spin. So, if you bowl spin against our batting line-up, they’re just going to smack left, right and centre. We are just so used to playing spinners.

“So, yeah, one of the best batting line-ups we have, our top eight batsmen. Anyone can take on any spinner in this world. I have personally bowled against them, played against them. I know how hard it is,” the 35-year-old went on to add.

Meanwhile, Chakravarthy returned with impressive figures of 1-16 in four overs he bowled in the series opener against Afghanistan. The mystery spinner was expensive on the tour of England but he downplayed any concerns regarding his bowling form.

He added, “It is just good, brother. The thing is, the England tour was also good for me. Just because we did not win, it does not mean that it has gone to waste. You get to learn a lot if you lose also. So, there is nothing that goes to waste and, as we said today, even if things would not have gone our way, we would have had the same mindset of learning something.”

The second T20I between India and Afghanistan will be played on Tuesday in Delhi.