Ahead of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final clash against England, cricketer-turned-commentator Parthiv Patel has opined that Varun Chakaravarthy has been moving away from his game plans very quickly. He pointed out that Chakaravarthy is bowling wider lines when attacked straight, although the mystery spinner has enjoyed great success while targeting the stumps.

India and England will square off in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel will likely be the two frontline spinners in the co-hosts’ playing XI.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues,’ Parthiv was asked about his thoughts on Chakaravarthy’s contrasting returns in the preliminary group and Super Eights stages of the T20 World Cup 2026.

“I feel he has been drifting away too quickly from his own game plan. We have seen him taking wickets whenever he has bowled on the stump line. He has got a lot of wickets either lbw or bowled. He needs to stick to his game plan. Yes, batters are actually attacking him straight, and that’s where Varun Chakaravarthy is bowling slightly wider,” he responded.

The former India wicketkeeper-batter added that the Tamil Nadu spinner needs to believe in his skills and shouldn’t waver from his plans.

“Maybe he is also bowling slightly shorter. In practice, we have seen that he was trying to find his length. Batters will try to take you on, but you have to make sure that you believe in yourself and your skills, and not drift away from what you have been doing for the last couple of years,” Parthiv observed.

Varun Chakaravarthy has picked up 12 wickets at an average of 15.33 in seven games in the T20 World Cup 2026. He has an outstanding T20I record against England, having scalped 14 wickets at an average of 9.85 in five innings.

“It’s an interesting matchup” – Parthiv Patel on Jasprit Bumrah’s potential battle with Jos Buttler in IND vs ENG T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal

In the same interaction, Parthiv Patel was asked whether Jasprit Bumrah should be introduced early in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final clash against England, considering the seamer’s great record against Jos Buttler.

“I was just hearing what Gautam Gambhir said in the press conference about Jasprit Bumrah being the banker. Jasprit Bumrah is the bank. He is not a banker. Every time you need a wicket, Jasprit Bumrah has that in his locker. It’s an interesting matchup – Jasprit Bumrah vs Jos Buttler,” he replied.

The Gujarat Titans (GT) assistant coach opined that the unconventional seamer should be given the second over in Thursday’s game.

“Jos Buttler has very good numbers on this ground. He loves batting at the Wankhede Stadium. Jasprit Bumrah also has good numbers against Jos Buttler. Definitely, second over for sure, and then you see how it goes after that,” Parthiv observed.

Jasprit Bumrah has picked up nine wickets at an average of 14.00 in six games in the T20 World Cup 2026. He has conceded only 10 runs off 15 balls while dismissing Jos Buttler twice in T20Is.