Varun Chakaravarthy is a big, big threat for us in the final: New Zealand coach Gary Stead | Cricket News

Varun Chakaravarthy (AP photo) DUBAI: When was the last time a cricketer playing just his third ODI emerged as such a threat to a team in an ICC final? Going into the Champions Trophy final against India at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, New Zealand aren’t too daunted by the reputation of their opponents.Nor have they been left flustered by the constant travel between Pakistan and Dubai during the tournament-sore point with many current and former players. At the moment, as they eye their first ICC ODI title in almost 25 years, they seem most worried about how they would overcome the danger posed by ‘mystery spinner’ Varun Chakravarthy, who, featuring in just his second ODI, took five for 42 to bowl the Black Caps out for just 205 in 45.3 overs and script a 44-run win for India at this very venue last Sunday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Talking to reporters at the team hotel on Friday morning, Kiwis coach Gary Stead made no bones about the fact that Vaun could spoil his team’s plans in the final. “He’s obviously a very good bowler. He bowled very well. We’ll have a look at the pitch conditions down there as well and see what the effect is that he may have on the game. So, look, we certainly expect him to play after getting five for 42 against us in the last game. And yeah, we’ll be planning our intentions around that as well,” Stead said.Post his heroics against the Kiwis, Varun went on to take two for 49 against Australia, including taking the big wicket of dangerman Travis Head with just his first ball of the match. However, he has appeared to be a far more dangerous bowler under the lights, as has been evident by his superb record in T20s, where he has taken 138 wickets in 106 matches – a majority of them for the Kolkata Knight Riders, India and for various teams in the TNPL. Stead seemed to agree with the theory, while still terming the 34-year-old tweaker as a “big, big threat” for his side in the big game.”When you have a wrist spinner like that that’s bowling, then you’re looking for cues as a batsman. And I think it’s always a little bit easier when you’re in the daylight to see those things. So, look, there’s no doubt he’s a class bowler. He obviously showed his skills against us last time and he’s a big, big threat in the game. So, we’ll be putting our thinking caps on around how we nullify that and how we can still score runs against him,” the 55-year-old said.NZ hopeful bowler Henry will be fit for India finalThe Black Caps are hopeful that their in-form pace bowler Matt Henry will be fit to face India in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday. Henry, 33, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, jarred his right shoulder while taking a catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen in the 29th over, but after going back to the dressing room, the quick returned to bowl two more overs in the Kiwis’ semifinal win against South Africa at Lahore on Wednesday.New Zealand are awaiting results of his scans and New Zealand’s head coach said they will give Henry “every chance”. “It is still a little bit of an unknown. He is obviously pretty sore. [We are] hopeful he will be OK,” Stead said. If Henry is not passed fit, pace bowler Jacob Duffy or fast-bowling all-rounder Nathan Smith may replace him. “It was pretty uncomfortable. The positive thing for us is he got back out there to bowl. We are going to give him every chance to be playing in this match,” Stead said.Henry has taken 10 wickets in New Zealand’s four matches @16.70 at the Champions Trophy, with his best being five for 42 against India at the DICS- his absence would certainly be a big blow for the Kiwis and a boost for India in the summit clash.