Varun Chakravarthy: India’s Unlikely Champions Trophy Wildcard and the Secrets Behind His Resurgence
From being labeled a fading mystery spinner to emerging as India’s ace in the hole for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Varun Chakravarthy’s journey is a testament to reinvention, resilience, and relentless innovation. Behind his dramatic turnaround lie meticulous technical adjustments, tactical brilliance, and guidance from mentors like personal coach AC Prathiban and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spin-bowling coach Carl Crowe. Here’s how Varun transformed himself into a bowler even the fiercest batters struggle to decode.
The Fall and Rise of a Mystery Spinner
When Varun burst onto the IPL scene in 2018, he was hailed as a “mystery spinner” with seven variations, including a sharp carrom ball and a deceptive googly. But by 2022, his effectiveness waned. Batters began reading his variations, his carrom ball lost its bite, and slowing his pace only gave opponents more time to react. KKR benched him, and his international prospects dimmed.
The wake-up call forced Varun to rethink his approach. “The carrom ball wasn’t working on flat IPL pitches, especially at Eden Gardens,” Prathiban recalls. “We knew he needed to evolve.” The solution? Ditch the fading carrom ball, refine his legbreak, and weaponize his googly with a revamped release.
Technical Overhaul: From Sidespin to Overspin
Varun’s initial success relied on sidespin, but Prathiban identified a critical flaw: his legbreak, bowled with a scrambled seam, lacked consistent turn. To fix this, they reworked his grip and seam position, focusing on generating overspin—a technique where the ball spins forward, creating dip and bounce. “We shifted focus to body-generated force rather than just arm speed,” Prathiban explains. “This added revs, dip, and unpredictability.”
The results were transformative. In his first four IPL seasons, Varun took just six wickets with legbreaks. In 2024 alone, he claimed seven wickets with the delivery, complementing 11 scalps from his googly. His economy rate plummeted, and batters struggled to pick his variations, especially the googly—delivered from the side of his hand, unlike traditional wristspinners.
The Googly: A Lethal Weapon Reborn
Varun’s googly became his pièce de résistance. Its uniqueness lies in its release: while most spinners flick it from the back of the hand, Varun’s side-on action masks the turn. Combined with his quicker pace (around 95-100 kph), it leaves batters with minimal reaction time.
Carl Crowe, KKR’s spin coach, emphasizes Varun’s tactical growth: “He’s not just relying on mystery now. He studies batters, plans dismissals, and executes under pressure.” A prime example was Liam Livingstone’s dismissal in a T20I at Kolkata. Anticipating Livingstone’s shuffle, Varun fired a googly instead of the expected legbreak, leaving the Englishman stranded.
Data, Discipline, and Midnight Practice Sessions
Varun’s success stems from an analytical mindset. He pores over footage of past matches, dissects batters’ weaknesses, and even requested old videos of his bowling to track his evolution. Prathiban reveals, “He’d practice at 2 a.m., experimenting with grips and seam positions. His obsession with detail is unmatched.”
This discipline translated into dominance. Over the past two IPL seasons, Varun topped the wicket-taking charts, while his Vijay Hazare Trophy performances solidified his ODI credentials. His ODI debut against England in 2025—at 31, making him India’s second-oldest debutant—was a culmination of this grind.
The Coaches’ Verdict: Where Varun Stands Today
Prathiban and Crowe both assert that Varun now belongs among the elite. “He’s up there with Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan,” Crowe states. “England’s ‘Bazballers’ looked clueless against him. That’s the mark of a world-class spinner.”
Despite shedding the “mystery” tag, Crowe believes Varun’s deception remains intact. “If batters can’t read your stock ball from your variation, you’re still a mystery. Varun’s googly and legbreak are indistinguishable at release.”
Champions Trophy: Redemption in Dubai?
Varun’s inclusion in India’s Champions Trophy squad marks a shot at redemption. His previous T20 World Cup stint in the UAE (2021) was underwhelming, but Prathiban is confident: “He’s mentally tougher now. ODIs demand stamina, but his wicket-taking intent won’t change.”
Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, sees Varun as an X-factor on Dubai’s slower tracks. His ability to outthink batters, coupled with his revamped skillset, could prove pivotal in high-pressure games.
The Architect of His Own Destiny
Varun’s journey mirrors his life—a series of reinventions. Before cricket, he dabbled in architecture, interior design, and even scriptwriting. These experiences, Prathiban believes, forged his adaptability: “Put him on an island, and he’ll survive. He’s a problem-solver.”
At 27, Varun transitioned from failed fast bowler to spinner. At 31, he reengineered his craft again. This resilience, born of setbacks and diverse life lessons, fuels his quiet confidence.
Conclusion: The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
Varun Chakravarthy’s story isn’t just about spin mechanics; it’s a lesson in perseverance. In a sport obsessed with youth, he’s proof that evolution has no age limit. As India heads to the Champions Trophy, Varun stands ready—not as a fading mystery, but as a refined tactician with a point to prove. And if his recent rise is any indication, the best chapters of his career may yet be unwritten.
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