The Kolkata Knight Riders spinner has comeback stronger with 19 scalps in his 13 outings of IPL 2023 for the two-time champions.
Emerging from strife after a poor season and standing resurrected as a mystery tweaker in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lead Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy has reinforced his prowess with solid performances for the two-time champions.
After enduring a sustained dip last season, Chakravarthy has comeback ever so stronger for KKR in IPL 2023. The 31-year-old, who had bagged just six scalps in his 11 outings in IPL 2022 with an economy rate of 8.53, has taken 19 wickets in 13 matches at 8.03 runs an over in this year’s edition of the premier T20 tournament.
At a time when KKR continue to battle along for the playoffs with a bowling unit criticised for its inconsistent nature and expensive ways, Varun Chakvarathy has been their biggest shining light, allowing the two-time winners to stay afloat in the intense race towards the coveted title.
Speaking in an interview with Cricbuzz, the Indian spinner on comeback trail spoke of his resurgence as a cricketer after a gloomy IPL 2022 and also revealed the toughest batter he has faced up to while informing of his favourite dismissal from the ongoing season.
When asked to reveal who has been the toughest batter he has bowled to in his career so far, Varun Chakravarthy named West Indies’ legendary T20 opener Chris Gayle, who used to lit-up the IPL with his flurry of sixes in his pomp.
Gayle remains IPL’s highest-ever Caribbean run-getter, credited for raising the powerhitting standards in the competition after blasting opposition attacks, especially when he turned up for the famed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise.
Chakravarthy bowled to Gayle at the fag end of his illustrious career when the mighty ‘Universe Boss’ turned out for Punjab Kings (PBKS) before bidding farewell to T20’s biggest carnival.
“Chris Gayle,” Chakravarthy said in response to a query on the ‘toughest batter’ he has bowled to, before recounting his favourite dismissal in IPL 2023. For the KKR spinner, it was getting Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) rising young aggressor Jitesh Sharma in the recent league game played in Kolkata.
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The wicket of Sharma saw Chakravarthy pull off an interesting slider onto the attacking right-hander as the delivery initially shaped up to come in before moving just enough to evade his cut shot and get the edge to the keeper.
It wasn’t the most special ball bowled by the KKR tweaker but one that signalled to him that all the hardwork he had put into overcoming his blues last season is finally bearing him the desired fruits. Chakravarthy said he had worked extensively on his leg-spinner to skid on to the batter before that dismissal.
“I really liked Jitesh Sharma’s wicket. I had been working on that delivery, a legspinner with more over-revolutions so that it can bounce more,” he said.
“I was bowling from the shorter end to him, so I couldn’t bowl an offspinner or a googly at the time. I thought I would bowl a leggie and it worked.”
