Varun Chakaravarthy’s Clever Mind Games Trap Tim David at the MCG
It was one of those fascinating cricket moments when the battle between bat and ball turns into a psychological duel. During the second T20I between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Varun Chakaravarthy and Tim David found themselves in the middle of a tense little mind game — and it was the Indian spinner who came out on top.
The stage was set during Australia’s chase of a modest 126-run target. The hosts were comfortably cruising, but the Indian supporters at the MCG got a small consolation to cheer for when Chakaravarthy decided to spice things up against Tim David. The Australian batter, known for his explosive hitting, walked out to bat at number four with his side sitting comfortably at 87 for two. What followed next was pure theatre.
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As David took guard, Chakaravarthy, in coordination with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, made an unusual field adjustment — he called Tilak Varma in close at short-leg, helmet on, almost under the batter’s nose. The idea was clear: unsettle the big-hitter and test his composure. David noticed the move, smiled back at Tilak, and exchanged a few friendly words with his former Mumbai Indians teammate.
Then came the first delivery. Chakaravarthy started his run-up, but David suddenly backed away, forcing the bowler to pull out mid-way. The spinner responded with a wry grin, matching the Aussie’s confidence with his own calm. On the next ball, David tapped a simple single off his pads. It looked like the tension had diffused — but only for a moment.
Just a couple of deliveries later, the trap worked perfectly. Chakaravarthy bowled a length ball drifting into the middle and leg stump. David leaned forward to play a defensive push, but the timing betrayed him. The ball popped up straight back, and Chakaravarthy completed an easy caught-and-bowled. David was gone for just one run off two balls, shaking his head in disbelief as he walked back to the pavilion.
The Indian fielders shared quiet smiles — not so much because it turned the match around, but because they knew they’d won a mental victory. Even though Australia went on to win the game comfortably by four wickets, that brief duel stood out as a masterclass in psychological strategy on the cricket field.
Varun Chakaravarthy finished with figures of 2 for 23, proving once again why he’s considered one of the smartest spinners in modern cricket. His ability to read a batter’s mindset, not just his technique, made all the difference in that fleeting but memorable encounter with Tim David — a reminder that sometimes, cricket isn’t just played with skill, but with wit and patience too.
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