Ahmedabad: In the last six months the life of Varun Chakaravarthy has changed a lot. During the March 12-20 T20I series against England in Ahmedabad the spinner was picked, before he failed a fitness test to miss the contest. Indian team’s commander Virat Kohli was discontent with the 30-year-old’s wellness status.
“Individuals have to understand and appreciate the kind of system that has been created for the Indian cricket team,” Kohli said on March 11. “You would always expect players to abide by what’s required to be a part of Team India and that there should not be any place for any compromise in that regard.”
That mild admonishment from Kohli turned into admiration earlier this week. Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Chakaravarthy returned with impressive figures of 3/13 in four overs as the Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore got dismissed for 92.
“Pretty good from Varun, he’s going to be a key factor when he plays for India. It’s great guys who’ve got the opportunity to play at the international level. He’s someone who is going to play in the near future for India, it’s a great sign,” Kohli said after his team’s nine-wicket loss.
That adulation from Kohli has been a high-point in Chakaravarthy’s nascent career. Once down with injuries and fitness issues, he is now in line to be a potent weapon for India at the T20 World Cup. He is part of the five-spinner line-up in a 15-member India squad. If his current form in the UAE is anything to go by, there are enough chances of him getting picked in the playing XI when India play the T20 World Cup, a month from now, in the same country.
Against RCB, Chakaravarthy opened the bowling. He bowled full, got the drift and skidded the ball. There was no way KKR batsmen could read him off his hand. On numerous occasions, Chakaravarthy has said that he prefer flatter wickets so that he can vary his pace and deceive the batsmen. It adds to his potential in the UAE venues. That he has a googly up his sleeves too adds to his repertoire. His rising stocks have meant that batsmen are always playing him cautiously. Like in KKR’s second match of the IPL 2021 second leg against Mumbai Indians, he did not get a wicket but then gave only 22 runs in four overs.
For someone who first caught the attention at the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he picked nine wickets at an economy of 4.7, Chakaravarthy got into limelight when Kings XI Punjab picked him up for Rs 8.4 crore ahead of 2018 IPL. But it was at the 2020 IPL for KKR, Chaakaravarthy impressed the BCCI selectors with 17 wickets in 13 games at a miserly 6.84 economy.
However, fitness issues continued to delay his India debut, which finally happened in July in T20I against Sri Lanka.
“Playing for India has made me feel better, I have a sense of acceptance from people around me, because I started at 26,” Chakaravarthy said after being adjudged the Player of the Match in the clash against RCB. If he impresses in the T20 World Cup, acceptance will only go one way – up north.
