In the cauldron of Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders’ Varun Chakravarthy lit up the stadium with a game-breaking final over against Sunrisers Hyderabad. If we delve deeper into the last ball of that over, it gives us some insight into what has worked for Chakravarthy in IPL 2023: The speed of the delivery was 107 km/h, dovetailed with enough revs. The line and length were also near-perfect, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s attempted slog could only connect with thin air.
After a rather disappointing IPL last season, where he picked up just six wickets in 11 matches, Chakravarthy has stuck to the maxim of working on his basics. The outcome has been the return of fizz and energy to his bowling. “I think he has gone back to a little bit of his old self,” said Sriram Krishnamurthy, his coach at Madurai Panthers, to RevSportz. “The reality is, as the players go through the years, they are constantly on the journey of finding ways to improve. And Varun went on that journey to see how he can improve, how he can gain an edge every single season. And in that journey, he somehow lost a bit of his old self.”
One of the things Chakravarthy tried to do was bowl on more classical lines. “Last season, he wanted to see whether he could slow the pace down, pitch the ball slightly up more,” said Krishnamurthy. “I think in that process, he lost a little bit of revs. He has definitely pulled back his length a little bit. The natural pace he used to bowl gave him success. Some of those natural trends are his strengths. He has got that pace, he bowls with a slightly high arm action, which means, with his height and pace, he gets a little more bounce. And the reality is, he has gone back to doing all those things that gave him success previously.”
The value that Chakravarthy brings to the side isn’t just based on the 11 wickets that he has taken for KKR this season, but also about how he has volunteered to bowl the tough overs for the side. As of now, the spinner has bowled the most number of slog overs and the second-highest powerplay overs for the side. It almost feels as if Nitish Rana, the KKR skipper, just has to throw the ball to Chakravarthy and let him do the rest.
Krishnamurthy has this to say on Chakravarthy’s ability to thrive in pressure-cooker situations. “When he first came on the TNPL [Tamil Nadu Premier League] scene, he came with a little bit of an unknown factor. But he had also built some reputation with a couple of teams (lower leagues) before. While he wasn’t seen playing matches or anything of that sort, he already had a reputation surrounding his mystery, as one who could be a match-winner.
“Sometimes, the pressure can get to you. Even though you might have the talent and skills, pressure can do different things to you. Whereas with Varun, that was never the case, he is someone who has handled the pressure really well. That is why I was very pleased when he bowled that over against SRH. And for him to defend that target was phenomenal. It tells something about the person and his ability to handle pressure.”
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Chakravarthy’s comeback journey took place away from the limelight. And in AC Prathiban, he found a spin-bowling coach who showed him the right path. His coach also made a few observations on Chakravarthy, which in turn offer insights about how sticking to everyday values helped the spinner recalibrate his game.
“He is a very honest guy,” said Prathiban. “He would come and tell me, ‘I didn’t bowl the ball you wanted me to bowl. But I will try to get back to the scheme of things.’ I have worked with a few guys, and I can tell you that if I probably say bowl side-spin, they would say, ‘I have bowled side-spin’. But they would definitely have bowled top-spin. But Varun would be very genuine and say ‘I didn’t bowl that ball. I wanted to bowl, but couldn’t.’ That much amount of genuineness he has shown.”
When Chakravarthy is in good rhythm, batters find it difficult land the big shots. The pace on the ball is certainly one of the factors that makes it hard for opposition teams to tonk sixes against him. But his spin-bowling coach brings up another salient feature in Chakravarthy’s armour, which gives him the edge.
“With speed and accuracy, it is a little bit difficult for the batter to get underneath the ball, because when they are trying to strike, it is hitting the sticker of the batter,” said Prathiban. “We were not looking to add new deliveries. We were looking at the accuracy and effectiveness of each and every ball. Also, to add a lot more revs on the ball.
“We were trying to identify the process. More speed in the run-up, working on the balance of the delivery stride, from where he can generate a little more force on to the ball. So all these things put together, he was in a better position to put a little more revs on the ball.”
To find evidence of Chakravarthy’s zeal to look for continuous improvement, let’s take a trip to his formative years. The wicketkeeper-bat-turned-architect-turned-seam-bowling-all-rounder, who then became a mystery spinner, made waves in the fourth division of the Chennai League in 2017-18 with his slew of variations. He was soon instrumental in helping Panthers win their maiden TNPL title. He didn’t just pick up vital scalps in that tournament. He also bowled as many as 125 dots, and his economy rate was an impressive 4.7.
Krishnamurthy, who has seen Chakravarthy’s growth since the time he joined Panthers’ set-up, recalls how as a new entrant in the side, he didn’t just concentrate on his primary skill, but also on other aspects of his game.
“I think what stands out for me is the amount of preparation and in-depth preparation he gets into,” said Krishnamurthy. “I remember in 2018, when we were preparing for the TNPL, that was the first time he was obviously going to be having a stage to come in front of. Up until then, he hadn’t necessarily played a lot of structured cricket. It was going to happen in front of the crowds. For the first time, he was going to be in front of TV [cameras].
“He was fully confident in his bowling. But he knew somewhere he wasn’t seen as a very good fielder. He was not a bad fielder, but he was wanting to basically prepare for what it would be like to field in front of a crowd, to take some high catches on the boundary when the crowd is just behind him. You know the pressure of handling all those things.
“And I do remember doing a few sessions with him around those things, trying to simulate pressure, where he won’t be distracted by what is going around him, and get the job done – catch the ball, field the ball. So while it can be easily understood that he is a mystery spinner whose primary skill is bowling, and he spends hours together working on it, he also focuses on these things which can prove to be a big difference in one’s game as well. Those are some of the small details we sometimes miss with the players. He is quite good at taking a wholesome approach to his game, and ensuring that it is not just his bowling he focuses on.”
Chakravarthy’s bowling isn’t just about having seven or eight variations in his armour. He is also good at examining the strengths and weaknesses of the batter’s game, and then outwitting him. Over the years, with Chakravarthy having the experience of playing in the IPL and also for India, he has only got better at the art of outmanoeuvring the batter.
“Varun Chakravarthy we knew in 2018 is definitely not the Varun who played for Madurai Panthers in 2022,” said Krishnamurthy. “Back in 2018, he was still trying to figure himself out, but in 2022, he was returning to Madurai not just as an IPL star but someone who has also played for India. To see that growth in that four-period, where he has actually played this game at all these levels. In 2022, he was so good at helping our other bowlers, with subtle field changes.
“I remember an instance where he was talking about how to bowl to Baba Aparajith, and field changes we need to do. Also about Dinesh Karthik, how he sweeps hard and in front of square, and how that could be factored into the bowling plans. The fielder at deep square leg, where he needs to be. It was fascinating to see him share those plans with other bowlers as well. The one-percenters matter for him and that’s why we all like him.”
Chakravarthy doesn’t just want to make an impression in T20 leagues. His vision is broader. As Prathiban sums up: “He wants to get back into the Indian team. That is his goal, how to make a comeback to the national side.”