Varun Chakravarthy had an outstanding Champions Trophy 2025, becoming the second-highest wicket-taker. His disciplined bowling led him to 9 wickets in just 3 matches. This performance highlighted his talent, which was initially recognized in domestic cricket and with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
Interestingly, before his T20I debut for India in 2021, Varun appeared in a small role in the 2014 Tamil film ‘Jeeva,’ starring Vishnu Vishal. At that time, he was a developing cricketer, and it took him several years to achieve his international cricket aspirations.
Varun began pursuing cricket seriously at 26, starting with tennis ball cricket. He progressed to the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) before securing an IPL contract with KKR.
Former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun shared that Varun was very nervous during his India debut and recalled his interaction with then-captain Virat Kohli. Arun mentioned that Varun seemed overwhelmed and hesitant to suggest field settings to Kohli, instead just bowling to the set field.
However, much has changed since then, and Varun’s Champions Trophy performances have significantly raised his profile.
Arun added that Varun is now a completely different player, embodying the idea that elite cricket is largely mental. Varun now understands his role with the ball and confidently sets his own field, reflecting his increased self-belief.
