Varun Chakravarthy, India's mystery spinner, has played a pivotal role in the team’s Champions Trophy campaign with his stellar bowling performances. His remarkable haul of seven wickets in just two matches, including a sensational five-wicket spell against New Zealand in the group stage, places him among the tournament’s top wicket-takers as India gears up for the final in Dubai, today. He had also been nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award.
His exceptional bowling played a crucial role in India’s 4-1 T20I series win over England, where he picked up 14 wickets at an impressive average of 9.85. Chakaravarthy’s journey to success is inspiring.
Originally a wicket-keeper, he left cricket to pursue an architecture degree but later made a comeback. His breakthrough came in the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), which led to his IPL selection. In 2019, Punjab Kings bought him for ₹8.
40 crore, but it was with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) that his career truly took off, establishing him as one of the league’s top spinners. Varun’s IPL career has been lucrative. After a brief stint with Punjab Kings, he was signed by KKR, where he quickly became their frontline spinner.
His impressive performances over the years saw him retained for ₹12 crore in the last IPL auction. Having consistently taken over 20 wickets in the last two seasons, he remains a crucial part of KKR’s bowling attack. Chakaravarthy made his international debut in 2021 against Sri La.
