Varun Chakravarthy, the standout spinner for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has talked about his IPL experience, managing expectations, and his dynamic connection with Sunil Narine. He also considered his goals for this season and the lessons he had learnt from KKR’s IPL 2024 championship run. Chakravarthy highlighted that living in the moment is crucial and that past performance does not ensure future success.
“The lesson is that even if you had a fantastic tournament in the past, you will need to start over. That’s what you learn from cricket. Even if you have two or three great tournaments, you will have to start over in the next one. “So, that’s what I’m getting ready for—starting from scratch,” Chakravarthy stated on JioHotstar, discussing the most important takeaway from the campaign that won the title the previous year.
Varun Chakravarthy talked about how he handles crucial in-game circumstances and the knowledge he has acquired from playing under duress.
“So far, I’ve learnt to keep things simple—don’t attempt to do anything very different, don’t try to make a magic moment or bowl a magic ball. Keeping to your core, doing it well, and doing it correctly will have the biggest impact.
The mystery spinner also discussed how he handles the pressures that accompany playing IPL cricket. “Since my very first IPL match, there have been expectations, and they aren’t just for me; they are for all of the cricket players. That’s just the way things are; it’s a given when playing competitive cricket. Therefore, you should not look too far ahead and instead concentrate on your process.
Over the years, Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, one of the best bowling combinations in the game, have grown close. Chakravarthy also recognised Narine’s influence on his development while playing for KKR.
We don’t need to talk as much now that I’ve played with him for five years—I’m currently in my sixth year. I don’t need to be spoon-fed. I may simply watch what he does and learn whatever I can. Of course, I always approach him and speak with him if I’m unsure. He has been the most valuable player in T20 cricket since the start, and we have always bowled well together. He will be the MVP even this year.
He listed some of the best T20 players when asked who batters he would most like to dismiss in the 2025 Indian Premier League. “Certainly any batsman who is playing well. Among the top players are Heinrich Klaasen, Nicholas Pooran, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav. If I could take their wickets, I would be overjoyed.
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