Varun Chakravarthy reminds me of BS Chandrasekhar: Farokh Engineer

CHENNAI: Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been the flavour of the season for India, coming up with match-winning performances time and again.
Ahead of the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday, Varun got a massive compliment from one of India's greatest wicketkeeper-batters - Farokh Engineer.
"India have class spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Varun. You know what, Varun reminds me of BS Chandrasekhar. It is wonderful that India are playing to their strengths (by using four spinners). Horses for courses depending on the pitches they are playing," Engineer, who kept for India in the 1960s and 70s when the famous spin quartet was in business, said on Friday.
India are facing a happy selection headache in the wicketkeeping department in ODI cricket. First-choice stumper KL Rahul has made the position his own with influential batting contributions. Rahul's current understudy Rishabh Pant, consigned to the bench recently, has shown plenty of times that he is a match-winner with the willow.
When much ink is being spilled on who should take the gloves, Engineer opined that the think-tank does not have much of a choice, considering Rahul's rich returns in 50-over cricket and the need to play genuine all-rounders in the XI.
"For India, it is a very healthy position to be in. Rahul has not done much wrong. Rishabh is very good, a batter who is a destroyer. He is just unlucky that both of them are there at the same time," Engineer said after being felicitated by Madras Cricket Club here.
"There is an argument that Rishabh can come in as an additional batter, but India have got many all-rounders. There is no room in the playing XI. It is wonderful to see Indian cricket thrive and I am proud of it," added the 87-year-old Engineer, who was at his witty best.
Engineer backed India to go the distance in the CT, but cautioned that New Zealand cannot be taken lightly. "I am fancying India to win it, but they should not get too complacent because NZ is a good side. India should not underestimate NZ just because they beat them fairly easily before (group stage). Rachin Ravindra is a fantastic player… if he gets going… if Kane Williamson gets going, there are several others. It will not be easy for India," Engineer said of the final.
He also hit back at those who claim that India are having an unfair edge by playing at one venue throughout. "India have had a slight advantage, let us not deny that. But one should not be making a mountain out of a molehill. It is not as huge an advantage as the critics are making it out to be," Engineer, based out of Manchester, said.