New Delhi: Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy completed a dream comeback for India after three years as he announced his return in style with a brilliant spell in the 1st T20I against Bangladesh at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior on Sunday. Varun starred in India’s thumping 7-wicket win against the visitors with a three-wicket haul in his first T20I for India since November 2021.
Varun made his T20I debut in July 2021 after a stellar season for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and was subsequently included in the squad for the T20 World Cup 2021. However, he failed to cement his spot in the side and was quickly forgotten as he never played for India after the World Cup where India endured a disastrous campaign.
But not the one to give up, Varun kept harbouring the dream of making his India comeback and kept working on his bowling in the IPL and the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). The mystery spinner, who had added several variations to his arsenal over the last couple of years, himself admitted he has become more of an over-spin bowler from a side-spin bowler.
It’s a skill that took him a couple of years to hone and multiple executions in the IPL and TNPL before he gained confidence and made the transition, which highlights the determination behind his comeback. “I used to be a side-spin bowler, but right now, I have completely shifted to being an over-spin bowler,” Chakaravarthy said after his brilliant show against Bangladesh in the 1st T20I in Gwalior.
“It’s a minute technical aspect of spin bowling, but it took me more than two years. I gradually tested it in TNPL and IPL. While the mental aspect also had to be worked on, the major chunk of effort I put in was on my technical side,” he added.
Varun Chakaravarthy spins a web against Bangladesh
Chakaravarthy didn’t get off to the perfect start in his 1st T20I for India in three years as he ended up missing a close chance and conceded 15 runs in his first over. However, by the end of his spell, the mystery spinner from Tamil Nadu displayed the full range in his bowling as he made the Bangladesh batters dance to his tunes and finished with a three-wicket haul.
He opened his account in his second over by getting rid of Towid Hridoy with one of his overspin deliveries before cleaning up Jaker Ali with a googly. He then dismissed Rishad Hossain with a leg spinner, displaying full variety in his bowling which makes him a great prospect for a permanent slot in India’s T20I squad.
‘Feels like rebirth’
Naturally, emotions were running high for Chakaravarthy after the game as he had finally realised his dream of donning the India Blue again. It took him 3 years to complete his comeback and he missed 86 T20Is for India during the period, second to only Khaleel Ahmed in the list of players, who had the longest gap in terms of two T20Is for India.
The spinner admitted it felt like a ‘rebirth’ for him as he explained how he plans to move forward now that he is back in the mix. The spinner said it’s important for him to stick to the process that has earned him success and not think too much about the past.
“After three long years, it was definitely emotional for me. It feels nice to be back in the Blues, it feels like a rebirth,” Chakaravarthy told Jio Cinema in an interview post the game.
“I just want to stick to the process because that’s what I’ve been following in the IPL. I don’t want to get ahead of myself; I want to stay in the present, that’s why I try not to think too much or express too much,” he added.
Varun Chakaravarthy made his India comeback after 3 years and looked right at home as he finished with excellent figures of 3/21 off his 4 overs in India’s 7-wicket win against Bangladesh in the 1st T20I on Sunday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
