Varun Chakaravarthy has never had an easy journey. In a world where cricketers often follow a well-trodden path, Varun's story is different—it's a winding road filled with detours, self-doubt, and a fierce desire to prove everyone wrong. This isn't just a story about a cricketer; it's a personal tale of a man who tried his hand at many things, faced immense pressure and public criticism, and then, against all odds, found his way back to the top.
His latest chapter is perhaps the most defining. After a stellar IPL season with Kolkata Knight Riders, where he picked up more than 40 wickets across two seasons and helped his team win a title, Varun was confident he would be back in the Indian squad. He had already been asked for his gear sizes—a sign that his selection for the upcoming Zimbabwe series was a mere formality. He was in form, in rhythm, and in line. Then the squad was announced, and his name wasn't on the list.
The sting of the rejection was sharper this time. This wasn't just about being overlooked; it was about how much he had sacrificed to get to this point. The scars went deep, stretching all the way back to the horror of the 2021 T20 World Cup. Back then, he went wicketless in three games and came home to a storm of online abuse. That was a dark time, followed by a tough 2022 season where KKR even dropped him mid-way. The public had written him off, and the criticism was relentless.
But instead of giving up, Varun did something truly remarkable. He decided to rebuild himself from the ground up. He changed his run-up, re-worked his delivery stride, and even moved from sidespin to overspin. He was stripping back every layer of his bowling, like an architect deconstructing a building to make it stronger.
His journey to becoming a mystery spinner was as unique as his bowling. Before he became a household name, he had tried everything. He was a wicketkeeper, a pace bowler, an architect, a freelancer, and even dabbled in films for a bit. None of it felt right. Every new path left a bruise, a sense of not quite belonging.
One day, he made a decision that would change everything. He called his old friend, Baba Aparajith, and with a blunt certainty, declared, "I'm a mystery spinner now." The Aparajith twins, who only knew him as a fast bowler, were intrigued and went to the nets to see for themselves. What they saw baffled them. Indrajith, Baba's brother, recalls, "We didn't know if it would work in a proper game, but in the nets, he was imposing and we were not able to read him easily."
It sounded audacious, even absurd. But this new identity stuck.
After a disappointing 2022 season, he sat down with his personal coach, AC Prathiban, in a café in Chennai. Over coffee, he asked a question that was more than just a passing query; it was an existential one. "Do you think I can play for India?" he asked, a man who had already worn the national jersey.
Prathiban didn't beat around the bush. "I told him, if you can take 20 wickets in an IPL season, then you'll get your chance. That's all."
And Varun did it. He took 20 wickets in 2023 and 21 in 2024. The numbers were there. The performances were there. Yet, he was not on the plane to Harare. This time, the reason given was different. It wasn't about his bowling. He was told his fielding wasn't good enough.
The rejection was a bitter pill to swallow, but instead of letting it consume him, Varun found a new purpose. A few days after the snub, he was playing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League for the Dindigul Dragons. One quiet evening, he was talking to his team's fielding coach, Ashok Kumar, affectionately known as 'Diamond'. Varun opened up about the frustration that had been gnawing at him.
Diamond listened patiently and then cut through the emotion with a simple truth. "Varun, ippo namma kitta edhana onnu illa," he said in Tamil, which translates to "If something is missing, we have to fix it." He told him that if he improved his fielding, no one would ever question his place in the team again.
Diamond saw that Varun's issue wasn't a lack of talent or good hands. "He has always been a good catcher," Diamond said. The problem was his awareness and concentration. Varun would often get upset if his batting went badly and would "switch off" on the field. To help him, Diamond started filming him during matches. Afterwards, they would sit down, freeze the footage, and compare the two Varuns: the one who was alert and ready, and the one who was flat-footed and a beat late.
This meticulous approach worked. Varun's fielding improved, his confidence grew, and he continued to take wickets. The comeback story was no longer just about his bowling; it was a testament to his entire game. The phrase "Namma jeichitom, Maara" (We won, Maara) from the Tamil movie Soorarai Pottru became a symbol of his journey. It’s a line that perfectly encapsulates his fight and his ultimate triumph over self-doubt and criticism.
Varun Chakaravarthy's journey is a powerful reminder that success isn't always a straight line. It's about facing your demons, embracing your past failures, and having the courage to rebuild. He's not just a mystery spinner; he’s a symbol of resilience, a human being who refused to give up, and a true winner in every sense of the word.
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