Mumbai: Varun Chakravarthy, the Indian spinner, opened up about a phase in his life when he was very disappointed in the way he performed during the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Chakravarthy was threatened with phone calls immediately after the tournament, and some told him not to come back to India. After India’s early elimination from the tournament, they tracked Chakravarthy down to his home in Chennai.
After the 2021 tournament, the team excluded him. The feeling that Chakravarthy got was that his international career is over. His T20I debut came in July 2021 during a series against Sri Lanka, and he subsequently found a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad under Virat Kohli. Chakravarthy, however, went wicketless in the three matches that he had played.
India lost the match against Pakistan by 10 wickets: India’s first-ever World Cup loss vs. Pakistan. India included him in their bowling attack for that match. In a clip aired on a YouTube show, he told anchor Gopinath,
“It was a tough time for me. Feeling as if I was not doing justice to my role, I became depressed. I felt ashamed for having not taken a single wicket. Then he had to wait three years before being picked again. I guess making a comeback was tougher than making my debut. (From 2021 onwards) I needed to change a few things within myself. My daily routine and practice had to adjust. In the past, I was bowling 50 balls in a session, but here it was double. I wasn’t sure if they would select me again. Three years later I thought that was the end of it. After that, we had a victory in the IPL, and I got the call-up. I was quite pleased with the outcome.
Chakravarthy represents Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL. KKR were the IPL champions last year. He added,
“All the good things (or, shall I say, good but heavy) are happening all at once, and I just cannot believe it. I want to take this further. I have witnessed failures and am aware of how cruel critique can be.
He further revealed, I received calls threatening me following the 2021 World Cup. “Don’t come back to India,” they said. Nobody is going to get you laid if you try. The town has adapted to the changing population; summer has come to my house in search of you. I had to hide multiple times. While I was coming back from the airport, some people were following me on their bikes. It happens. I get that fans can be passionate. Now, I see the appreciation that is coming my way, which makes me happy.
Chakravarthy returned to international cricket with a bang in October 2024. Since his return, he has made a significant impact. The T20Is earned him a place in the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy. The spinner shone in Dubai, claiming nine wickets in three games, including five wickets against New Zealand in the group stage.
Chakravarthy dismissed Travis Head, the key wicket in India’s win, in the semi-final against Australia. He played in the final against New Zealand and picked two wickets as India, under Rohit Sharma, claimed the trophy on March 9.
Chakravarthy said about the Champions Trophy. He said, I believe the confidence came in with playing the Champions Trophy. I had just played four games. I earned my place on the team by playing well when I could turn up and show my stuff in those games. But I didn’t expect it. After playing the T20 series decider in Mumbai, I planned to catch a flight back to Chennai. I even booked a ticket. However, the next morning, I received information about the ODI side and had to travel to Nagpur. I certainly never saw this coming. I literally did not even pack clothes and stuff. I told my family to send me my things to Nagpur.
Even after the ODI in Nagpur, Chakravarthy had no home to go back to. But this was not a letdown; it was merely retribution for his exceptional recovery. He shared,
“And then I played the second ODI. Next, I played the third ODI in Ahmedabad. I wrote to them about it and had also bought a ticket to Chennai. However, they informed me that I needed to travel to Dubai for the Champions Trophy. I couldn’t believe it. I was a substitute for the first two matches in Dubai. I was prepared to fetch drinks, as I thought I had no shot. However, I emerged victorious in the third game. Everything changed after that.”
Gautam Gambhir in conversation with Varun Chakravarthy added, Despite my benching during the first two games, I continued to practice. I suppose I was just looking for a reason. I was even willing to play as a substitute fielder. After the second match, Gautam Gambhir talked to me. He told me to treat it like I was playing. But he also said he wasn’t sure I’d get an opportunity (against New Zealand). I got myself ready and learnt one day before the match that I was going to play. Chakravarthy will be with KKR in IPL 2025, which commences on March 22nd.