Varun Chakravarthy reveals change in bowling style following India comeback
What's the story
Varun Chakravarthy, the 33-year-old mystery spinner, has credited his successful return to Team India to a change in his bowling style.
Chakravarthy made a stunning comeback after a lackluster debut in the 2021 T20 World Cup, taking three wickets against Bangladesh in the T20I series opener.
He said he has evolved from a side-spin bowler to an over-spin bowler, a change that took him over two years of practice and refinement.
Technique refinement
Chakravarthy's journey to perfect over-spin
Chakravarthy's journey to perfect his over-spin technique was gradual, something he tested in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and Indian Premier League (IPL).
He stressed while mental preparation was important, most of his work was on his technical skills.
Despite doing well in both IPL and domestic cricket in the last two seasons, he wasn't recalled to Team India until recently.
Comeback drive
Chakravarthy's motivation for Team India comeback
Chakravarthy admitted that his exclusion from the national team only fueled his determination to make a comeback.
"Whenever there was a squad that was announced, I used to feel like, 'Why is my name not there?' and I used to keep thinking about that," he said in the press conference.
This sense of disappointment drove him to participate more actively in domestic games and prioritize them.
Performance evaluation
Chakravarthy's performance and competition in Team India
Despite a tough start in the series opener against Bangladesh, where a catch was dropped in his first over which went for 15 runs, Chakravarthy managed to bounce back.
He admitted that there was fierce competition within Team India but also emphasized the strong camaraderie among players.
"There is good competition and there is good camaraderie also," he said, adding that fellow leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was among those cheering him on during the match.
IPL impact
Chakravarthy's IPL journey and future aspirations
Chakravarthy first came into the limelight when he took 17 wickets in the 2020 IPL, including a stunning spell of 5-20 against Delhi Capitals.
The next year, he took 18 wickets in 17 games at an economy rate of just 6.58.
His stellar show with Sunil Narine was key to Kolkata Knight Riders's final run that year.
Despite his success, Chakravarthy was dropped from Team India after taking just two wickets in six T20Is.