Vijay Hazare Trophy: Varun Chakaravarthy returns to Tamil Nadu squad

B. Indrajith, Pradosh Ranjan Paul and R. Sonu Yadav are the other names that return to the team after missing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

FILE- Tamil Nadu bowler Varun Chakravarthi, who took five wickets against Services, in action during the Elite Group C of the Vijay Hazare Trophy one day cricket match at IIT Chemplast cricket ground in Chennai on September 21, 2018. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu/The Hindu

Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been included in Tamil Nadu’s 16-man Vijay Hazare Trophy squad for the first time since his debut season in 2018. The selection committee had earlier appointed Dinesh Karthik as the skipper for the tournament and finalised the squad on Friday.

B. Indrajith, Pradosh Ranjan Paul and R. Sonu Yadav are the other names that return to the team after missing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Washington Sundar, who led the side in T20s, was not named in the squad as he is set to be busy with national commitments. 

Meanwhile, left-handed batter R. Vimal Khumar received his maiden call-up for Tamil Nadu after his impressive run in the Men’s under-23 one-day tournament, where he has scored 468 runs from seven matches. Pradosh, who is leading the u-23 side, has also been in good form with 441 runs.

“I am very happy with the squad we have got. Tamil Nadu has been a very good side in white-ball cricket, and we want to get back to the high standards we have set,” said Dinesh Karthik to  Sportstar on Friday.

For Karthik, who last led TN in the 2020-2021 season, it could well be his swansong year for the State team, and the wicket-keeper batter would want to finish off in style.

“I have been working on my fitness and doing gym work. We will have a camp from November 16 in Mumbai, and I will start my skills training there,” said Karthik, who is currently part of the commentary team for the World Cup about his preparations.

“Pradosh and Vimal have done well with the under-23 team to qualify for the knockouts after defeats in the first two matches. It is good to see youngsters coming through,” he added.

On Varun’s return, Karthik said, “he is excited to play and can bowl in both the PowerPlay and death overs. He knows if he can have a good tournament here and then the IPL, he can get back into national reckoning.”

Tamil Nadu will play its matches in Mumbai from November 25 to December 5 and is part of Group E alongside Bengal, Punjab, Goa, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh and Baroda.

Squad

K. Dinesh Karthik (Capt.), B. Sai Sudharsan, N. Jagadeesan, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Vijay Shankar, B. Indrajith, R. Sai Kishore, M. Siddharth, C.V. Varun, Kuldeep Sen, Sandeep Warrier, T. Natarajan, M. Shahrukh Khan, R. Sonu Yadav, B. Aparajith, R. Vimal Khumar.