'Bring in Kuldeep Yadav' - Former captain wants India to bench Varun Chakravarthy in T20 World Cup 2026 final

The Indian team’s practice session on the eve of the final of theT20 World Cup 2026 saw left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav hit the nets before Varun Chakravarthy, hinting at a possible change for the summit clash.

India take on New Zealand on Sunday, March 8, in the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In what is the fourth meeting between the two sides, Chakravarthy’s place in the side has become a major talking point before the game.

The mystery spinner has seen a drop in form after the group stages, having picked up just four wickets in the following games (three Super 8 matches and the semifinal in Mumbai), at an expensive economy of 11.63. The semifinal saw him record his worst figures in T20 cricket, conceding 64 runs in his four overs, against a fighting England side going after a mammoth 254 run target.

Chakravarthy is usually the first to come out and bowl in India’s net sessions, but Saturday’s practice saw him stand in the background as the team went on with their practice. Kuldeep was seen bowling and toiling in the nets, hinting at the potential alteration to the team.

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar opined that Kuldeep should be brought in for the struggling Tamil Nadu spinner.

"The change I would consider is bringing in Kuldeep Yadav. Varun Chakravarthy’s confidence looks shattered at the moment. Since the Super Eight stage, when he faced stronger teams, he has struggled and conceded a lot of runs," Gavaskar said to India Today.

"At a ground like the Narendra Modi Stadium, with big boundaries, Kuldeep Yadav could be a good option because he can turn the ball even on flat surfaces," he added.

Kuldeep’s only appearance in this tournament came against Pakistan, with respectable figures of 1/14 from three overs.