The tally of wickets could well have been more than 18 for Varun Chakravarthy had the last two league-stage games of the Kolkata Knight Riders not been abandoned due to rain.
But make no mistake, this IPL has certainly been spinner Chakravarthy’s most successful so far with his bowling playing a pivotal role to take the Knight Riders into the playoffs after back-to-back unsuccessful campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
Having shown what he is actually capable of, Chakravarthy is quite careful of maintaining the momentum gained and continuing with the impressive work even after the IPL. “The IPL is spanned over two months. Your muscle memory tends to fluctuate here and there, and it gets overlapped by many other things that happen throughout the IPL.
“So, it’s important to stick to your process and keep seeing your video-clippings, whatever you have done right, so that your muscle memory stays fresh,” Chakravarthy said on Monday.
Acknowledging that the 2024-25 domestic season assumes massive importance for him, Chakravarthy is confident he will keep knocking on the Team India door with his hard work for his state team Tamil Nadu. Also, if a rank turner is on offer, he can make it count with the red ball as well.
“I play the white ball for my state, and the last two years have been going great for me. This season also, I’m looking to do well for my side.
“As for red-ball cricket, there are many technical issues, not with my bowling, but because I bowl cross seam. In red ball, you need to bowl on the seam. So a few technical issues are there, but if it’s a rank turner, I will be all into play,” Chakravarthy stated.
“As regards a return to the Indian team, I’m not thinking much about it because over the last two years, that question has been playing in my mind over and over again. But I have made peace with it this time, as in if I get it, I get it and if I don’t get it, then it’s fine. But I’ll keep working hard and keep knocking on the door.”
The 32-year-old’s India experience is limited to just six T20Is in which he has taken just two wickets but at an economy rate of less than six an over (5.86). If he carries on doing well in the playoffs, his prospects of finding a place in India’s T20Is against Zimbabwe and the tour of Sri Lanka — both slated in July — may brighten.
Having Sunil Narine as his spin colleague has been of huge help to Chakravarthy, he iterated. “For a good student, rather than talking a lot, it’s better to watch, learn and observe. I do talk to him (Narine) sometimes when I am in doubt, but the best that I can learn from him is by just seeing and observing him bowl.
“I see a lot of his videos and get to see him just next to me bowling, and that’s my best learning. Every ball he bowls is a learning for me.”
