Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has showered praise on Varun Chakravarthy after India’s three-wicket loss against South Africa in the second T20I at the St George’s Park, Gqeberha on Sunday. The mystery spinner from Tamil Nadu returned with impressive figures of 5-17 in his quota of four overs.
After India could only post a below-par score of 124 runs on the board, Arshdeep Singh provided the first breakthrough. Subsequently, Varun Chakravarthy kept striking at regular intervals to keep India in the game.
The 33-year-old accounted for Aiden Makram, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller. Chakravarthy has now dismissed Klaasen and David Miller twice in two matches. The 33-year-old was accurate with his googlies and attacked the stumps to reap rewards.
“He was absolutely sensational – five wickets. He has dismissed Heinrich Klaasen twice in two games. He has dismissed David Miller twice in two games. He hit (Aiden) Markram’s stumps. He bowls googlies and at the stumps. He is absolutely outstanding,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator noted that Chakravarthy found more success than Ravi Bishnoi because of pace variation.
“He is bowling slow in the air. It’s the antithesis of what spinners usually do in international cricket, especially in the T20 format. Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) bowls slow and Varun Chakaravarthy also does that. He also finishes the ball within the three stumps with subtle variations,” he explained (9:45).
“He bowls a sort of leg-cutter and a googly. He bowls only two kinds of balls but bowls with accuracy. He doesn’t bowl too short or too full, and then the change of pace. Ravi Bishnoi also keeps the ball within the three stumps but he is very fast in the air. People are able to play the bowlers who bowl fast these days because they are used to that,” Chopra added.
Chopra feels playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 helped Charkravarthy turn a corner. The mystery spinner bagged 21 wickets (second-highest in the season) in 15 matches and played a key role in KKR’s success.
“What is Varun Chakaravarthy doing well? That’s the big question, as to what has changed. It’s clear that there is a difference. One thing is the confidence he has got after doing well consistently and here it’s absolutely imperative that we acknowledge the IPL’s contribution,” he said.
“Even your first-class team doesn’t play you at times if you are of his age. They don’t play you in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy also as they prefer giving a chance to a youngster. However, you played for Kolkata and picked up wickets consistently, year after year, and then got a chance to play for India again,” the reputed commentator added.
The third T20I of the series between India and South Africa will be played at the SuperSport Park, Centurion on Wednesday.
