New Delhi: Not many are well aware of Varun Chakravarthy, the ‘mystery spinner’, from Tamil Nadu, who was sold to Kings Xl Punjab for whopping Rs 8.4 Cr in the IPL Auction of 2019.
Varun grabbed eyeballs after the auction. Well, he is from Tamil Nadu. He had started playing cricket as a wicketkeeper-batsman at the age of 13 for his school.
After graduating and working for two years in an architecture firm, Varun started playing as a pacer. But a knee injury relegated him to the sidelines and prompted him to become a spinner.
First, he signed with Jubilee Cricket Club in the fourth division of the robust Chennai League, and honed all his variations there.
In 2017-18, Varun bagged 31 wickets in seven games at an average of 8.26 in the one-day competition. In the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2018, he spun Siechem Madurai Panthers to their maiden title.
Madurai finally sealed their first-ever win in the TNPL in their next game against Chepauk Super Gillies, when Varun took 3 for 16 to help his side defend 153. He continued to perform the dual role of taking wickets as well as restricting the batsmen, particularly in the Powerplay and slog overs.
Varun had spent a few days with CSK side in the 2018 season before the franchise’s home games were moved out of Chennai to Pune. Varun was a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings for five days, when they played one match in Chennai in IPL 2018. Later, he was called by Dinesh Karthik to bowl for Kolkata Knight Riders.
PNN
