Ashwin Declares Varun Chakravarthy India’s Most Influential Bowler of 2025

Ravichandran Ashwin named mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy as India's standout bowler of 2025, praising him as a "huge MVP" whose X-factor has consistently influenced matches whenever called upon. On his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat,' the former India off-spinner highlighted Chakravarthy's remarkable resurgence after earlier setbacks, noting how the Chennai-born cricketer reinvented himself through domestic leagues like the TNPL before climbing to the top of the T20I rankings. With 36 wickets in 20 T20Is and 10 in four ODIs during the year, Chakravarthy has become a vital asset in white-ball cricket, and Ashwin believes his form will be crucial for India's prospects at the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Ashwin also showered high praise on young left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma, describing him as India's "next-generation X-factor" player and the standout performer of the year. Abhishek enjoyed a breakout 2025 in T20Is, scoring 859 runs across 21 matches at an average of 42.95 and an explosive strike rate of 193.46, including one century and five half-centuries. Ashwin credited him with redefining India's powerplay batting approach and expressed hope to see him succeed in the ODI format, while noting that his red-ball development would continue. For Ashwin, Abhishek's dominance makes him a strong contender for India's men's player of the year.

Reflecting on the senior stalwarts, Ashwin acknowledged the enduring hunger of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to win another 50-over World Cup, which continues to fuel their performances despite recent challenges. He pointed out that both players faced scrutiny after retiring from Test cricket earlier in 2025 but responded strongly in ODIs and are currently in fine form during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, with Rohit smashing a commanding 155 for Mumbai and Kohli registering scores of 131 and 77. Ashwin emphasized the importance of cherishing their contributions, especially as Kohli appears to be in exceptional touch, which bodes well for Indian cricket.

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Ashwin's reflections, shared on December 30, 2025, provide an insightful end-of-year assessment from one of India's most respected voices in the game. As the focus shifts toward the 2026 T20 World Cup and beyond, the emergence of talents like Chakravarthy and Abhishek alongside the sustained excellence of veterans like Rohit and Kohli signals a promising blend of experience and youth for the Indian team in the coming years.

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