"I like to set it up for bowlers who come after me" - Varun Chakravarthy reacts after match-winning spell
Varun Chakravarthy starred with the ball as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outplayed the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
KKR banked on Chakravarthy and Andre Russell to bowl out a star-studded RCB batting order for a mere 92 runs before debutant Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill powered the Purple Brigade home in just 10 overs.
Varun Chakravarthy set the tone for the Knight Riders in the powerplay overs before returning to pick up a couple of wickets on the trot to rattle RCB's batting order. Adjudged the Player of the Match, the engineer-turned-cricketer said that his plan was to bowl a tight line.
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Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Varun Chakravarthy said:
"When I have the ball in my hand, I try to assess the pitch. It was flat, credit to the bowlers for bowling well in the PP. I like to set it up for the bowlers who come on after me. There wasn't much spin on offer, so I had to keep my line on the stumps only."
Varun Chakravarthy returned with figures of 3/13 in his four overs, including 15 dot balls. He also picked up a catch and ran out Kyle Jamieson.
In reply, KKR openers added 82 runs for the first wicket to set up the win and pocket two crucial points.
"Playing for India has made me feel better" - Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy stopped playing cricket after a couple of rejections in his early days to study architecture before working as a freelance architect. However, playing tennis-ball cricket rekindled his passion and he quit his job to return to cricket and he has not looked back since then.
He shot to fame during the 2018 Tami Nadu Premier League when he single-handedly guided Siechem Madurai Panthers to their maiden title. He then made headlines after the Punjab Kings roped him in for INR 8.4 crore at the auction prior to IPL 2019.
Varun Chakravarthy made the move to the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2020, which was his breakthrough season. He picked up 17 wickets in the 2020 IPL season at an average of 20.94 and a five-wicket haul which earned him a call-up to the Indian team.
After a couple of injury hiccups, Chakravarthy finally made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka and impressed straight away. Speaking on the experience of representing the country, Varun Chakravarthy stated that donning the blue jersey has given him a sense of acceptance. He said:
"Playing for India has made me feel better, I have a sense of acceptance from people around me because I started at 26."
Varun Chakravarthy has been picked in the 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the UAE and Oman. With a couple of variations up his sleeves, he is expected to be Virat Kohli's go-to man during the tournament.