India ended their 12-year-long wait for an ICC ODI title after lifting the Champions Trophy 2025. Despite being in the runners-up camp, Rachin Ravindra was named the Player of the Tournament. However, Ashwin named an Indian star who should have been given the award instead of Rachin.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin disagreed with Rachin Ravindra being the Player of the Tournament award in the Champions Trophy 2025. Instead, he named an Indian star who should have been chosen for the honour.
Rachin had a stellar campaign with the bat and was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 263 runs to his name, despite missing New Zealand’s opener. He was not part of the Pakistan clash due to his head blow in the tri-series preceding the 50-over tournament.
Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in late 2024, has picked spinner Varun Chakravarthy for the Player of the Tournament award, feeling that he was the X-factor for the team.
“Whatever said and done, the Player of the Tournament, in my view, was Varun Chakaravarthy. He didn’t play the entire tournament. He was such a big difference. If Varun Chakaravarthy wasn’t there, I think this game would have been very different. He brought that X-factor and the novelty factor. If I were the judge, I would have given it to Varun. He was the biggest difference,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
Chakravarthy was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with his nine scalps being only second to Matt Henry. Among the top five-wicket takers, Chakravarthy played the fewest matches – 3.
He also picked two wickets in the final, including the prized scalp of hard-hitter Glenn Phillips. Ashwin was left in awe of the Phillips dismissal. “Just look at how he dismissed Glenn Phillips. He wasn’t covering the stumps, so Varun went wide of the crease and bowled that googly. In my view, Varun has to be the Player of the Series. The award should be given to someone who made the biggest difference. Varun Chakaravarthy deserves the Player of the Series award,” he added.
Ashwin was extremely happy with the Indian team winning this title. He highlighted that this success is even greater in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. “There was no Jasprit Bumrah. Remarkably, this Indian team won the Champions Trophy without Bumrah. What does it tell you? Where does it leave Indian cricket? I am so happy. I think the world will take some time to catch up with Indian cricket,” he said.
