India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been in sensational form since his return to the national team last year. Chakravarthy recently produced a man-of-the-match performance in Kolkata, where he finished with incredible figures of 3-23 in 4 overs.
His meteoric rise has seen him compared to former Tamil Nadu teammate Ravichandran Ashwin. Like Varun Chakravarthy, Ashwin was also known for his variations. The legendary offspinner retired from all formats not so long ago.
When asked about the comparisons with Ravichandran Ashwin, Chakravarthy disagreed and felt that he is not even close at the moment. The 33-year-old just wants to work hard and follow the process at this point.
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Varun Chakravarthy in his comparison with Ravichandran Ashwin
Varun Chakravarthy spoke to reporters before the match at his home ground in Chepauk. He was excited to play in his hometown and also talked about the prospect of being compared to the legendary Ravichandran Ashwin.
The mystery spinner feels that the comparison with a player like R. Ashwin is too much for him and now he just wants to work hard. Chakravarthy feels that he is nowhere near Ashwin’s milestones as the latter has taken more than 500 Test wickets.
“(Ravichandran) Ashwin has played all three formats. I’m just coming back. I haven’t reached the stage where I can compare myself to him. But still, when they come to the Indian team, everyone wants to play for a long time. I follow my process,” said Chakravarthy.
“Let hard work take me wherever it can. It’s better that way. I’m not thinking of replacing anybody’s shoes. Ashwin’s shoes are too big to replace. He’s taken more than 500 Test wickets. I’m not even close yet,” he added.
Varun Chakravarthy reveals his bowling plans
Varun Chakravarthy revealed his bowling plans and match preparations which are done based on pitch and weather conditions. He claims to do the proper research for each batsman and reveals the importance of trusting your instincts.
“In the beginning, the plan will be the same. I’ll see how they try to get close to me. It’s all instinctive. Basically, you have certain plans for certain batsmen, but if they try something different, you have to rely on instinct,” Chakravarthy explained.
“The first thing is preparation—watching hitters, understanding their shots and seeing if they’ve added a new shot to their repertoire. I’m definitely doing that research. Based on that and the conditions on the field, I make certain calculations,” he added.
Amazing figures of Varun Chakravarthy in T20Is
Varun Chakravarthy has been outstanding in the T20I format and has re-established himself as an international cricketer. The 33-year-old has taken 22 wickets in 14 T20Is so far at an average of 16.63 and an economy rate of 6.71.
He returned to the Indian team after impressive performances in IPL 2024 where he played a key role in KKR’s title win. He will be looking forward to playing at his home ground in Chennai during the second T20I against England.
