Dubai [UAE], March 3 (ANI): After registering a win over New Zealand in the last group stage match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at Dubai on Sunday, star India all-rounder Axar Patel heaped praise on mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy for his five-wicket haul on his Champions Trophy debut.

Varun bowled exceptionally well and was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant performance. The 33-year-old snapped five in his spell of 10 overs, where he conceded 42 runs.

Axar too had a good day with the bat and while bowling. In the first innings, the Men in Blue were struggling at 30/3 in 6.4 overs when the left-hand batter came out to bat in the middle along with Shreyas Iyer.

Both batters stitched a partnership of 98 runs from 136 balls before Axar was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 42 runs off 61 balls, which came with the help of three fours and a six. With the ball in the second innings, the left-arm spinner took one wicket and gave away just 32 runs in his 10-over spell.

'Everyone is happy for him. It was his first match. I think the credit goes to him. It's not that easy. When he played last in the T20 World Cup 2021, it was not that good. But the way he has come after that, his mental skill shows how ready he is mentally. I think he is getting carried forward in his one-day cricket as well,' Axar Patel told the media after the match.

Further, the Gujarat-born player said that it is difficult for batters to play Varun when he bowls with pace.

'Everyone has seen what he bowls and what he doesn't. It is very difficult, and the way he bowls with pace, it is very difficult to read everyone else. And his bat is also static. If you miss, there is a higher chance of getting out. In the air, he also goes fast. It is not that he goes slow,' the 31-year-old cricketer added.

Varun had a perfect redemption story in Dubai during his debut in the ongoing marquee event, as he overcame the demons of his horror ICC T20 World Cup 2021 outing at the same venue and registered a memorable five-wicket haul against New Zealand in his side's final ICC Champions Trophy group stage match.

Having gone wicketless in his three ICC T20 WC 2021 matches, particularly a stinging 10-wicket loss to Pakistan in the group stage that paved the way for a group stage exit, Varun was one of the scapegoats of India's disastrous campaign. After scripting a comeback to remember for in T20Is last year and snapping two five-wicket hauls quickly, Varun has now registered his third five-wicket haul, this time in ODIs and at the venue where he did not have the most fond memories.

Varun's spell of 5/42 is the second-best by a bowler on CT debut and best by an Indian bowler on CT debut. Australia's Josh Hazlewood has the best CT debut spell, taking 6/52 against NZ in 2017 at Edgbaston.

Varun's fifer in his second ODI is the earliest by an Indian bowler in his ODI career. The previous earliest was Stuart Binny, who picked 6/4 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2014 in his third ODI.

Also, behind Jadeja's 5/36 against West Indies in CT 2013, this is the second-best bowling spell by an Indian in Champions Trophy history. (ANI)