What is Varun Chakravarthy’s bowling all about? Maybe he is the mystery spinner who bagged nine wickets at an economy rate of just 4.7 in the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League? This was the time when Chakravarthy was renowned for having seven variations in his armour. Or perhaps it is the Chakravarthy 2.0 version, which is currently running through the South African batting unit in its own den? The answer to that question would be we are now witnessing the improved version of the mystery spinner.
So, that brings up another question. What are the key features of Chakravarthy’s upgraded version? The crux of his bowling could come down to sticking to basics. For starters, it is about landing the ball mostly on a good length spot and imparting more overspin. It is also about hitting higher up on the bat.
AC Prathiban, his spin-bowling coach, had shared his thoughts on how Varun enhanced his skill set to RevSportz, “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,” he told. “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 white 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.”
Some of Varun’s qualities were once again on display in the second T20I versus South Africa. It is true that a sizeable portion of his five wickets came via the googly. However, the essence of his bowling was about control. He also showcased some bowling smarts. For instance, in the eighth over, when the South African opener Reeza Hendricks smashed the spinner for a boundary, Chakravarthy pulled his length back ever so slightly and cleaned him up.
It is hard to believe that roughly around three years ago, the same bowler was wallowing through wilderness. After India’s disappointing show in the T20 World Cup, in the UAE, he was left out of the set-up. Varun couldn’t pick up a single wicket in the tournament, and there were question marks on his fitness too. Although to his defence, the dew made an adverse impact on the spinners.
Switch back to present times, and Varun ended being a vital cog in KKR’s memorable triumph in IPL 2024. A few months later, it looks like Chakravarthy is poised to lead India’s spin attack in T20Is. Chakravarthy’s numbers since his comeback also back-up that assertion – the experienced bowler has taken 13 wickets in a mere five T20Is. Somewhere it also tells that he has blended his skills with practice and perseverance to change the course of his career from a downhill path to again scaling the summit of success.