Mystery Spinner Varun Chakravarthy Makes Triumphant Return to T20I Squad
In a captivating saga of resilience, the enigmatic Varun Chakravarthy has finally rejoined India’s T20I lineup, emerging from a prolonged hiatus of three arduous years during the inaugural T20I showdown against Bangladesh. The last glimpse of Chakravarthy in the international arena was witnessed during the tumultuous 2021 T20 World Cup hosted in the UAE. Once sidelined due to persistent injuries and a wave of promising young spinners, this exceptional talent’s revival was primarily due to his scintillating performances in the IPL 2024, where he impressively secured the second spot among the highest wicket-takers.
At the age of 33, Chakravarthy’s journey has been anything but smooth; he found himself benched for an astonishing 86 matches—a staggering statistic that places him as the second-highest player to experience such a long absence between T20I appearances for India. Only Khaleel Ahmed, with 104 missed matches, stretches this record further.
Most T20Is Missed Between Two Appearances (India)
- 104: Khaleel Ahmed (2019-24)
- 86: Varun Chakravarthy (2021-24)
- 73: Sanju Samson (2015-20)
- 70: Shivam Dube (2020-23)
Chakravarthy, whose meteoric rise gripped the cricketing world, first dazzled during the 2020 IPL while donning the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) colors, where a remarkable five-wicket haul against the Delhi Capitals catapulted him into the national limelight. Nevertheless, his foray into international cricket was riddled with challenges—a mere two wickets across six outings at a rather dismal average.
Live Updates: IND vs BAN 1st T20I
In the exhilarating 2024 IPL season, Chakravarthy emerged as a stalwart for KKR, amassing 21 wickets with an economy rate of 8.04. His unwavering performance was instrumental in guiding KKR to their first title since 2014, thereby reinstating him firmly in the selection spotlight for the national squad. His uncanny ability to manipulate matches on batting-friendly surfaces, where teams frequently breached the 200-run barrier, underscored his indispensable stature.
Earlier this year, Chakravarthy candidly shared his struggles during his time away from the national team. “Life can be unjust; it was incredibly tough on me,” he admitted, reflecting on the emotional toll of his absence. His relentless spirit, fueled by his IPL victories, paved the way for this much-anticipated return to the grand stage of international cricket.
Playing XIs for the IND vs BAN Match
Bangladesh (Playing XI):
Litton Das (w), Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam
India (Playing XI):
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (w), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Nitish Reddy, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav
