Has Varun Chakravarthy played his last game for India already?
Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has not been seen in the blues recently. After a terrific performance in the IPL last year for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he grabbed eyeballs and caught the attention of the Indian selectors. He soon received his maiden call-up, but he could not perform well in the international arena.
A leg-break googly bowler, Chakravarthy rose to fame for his brilliance at the IPL 2021. He became a regular face in KKR’s lineup and was known for providing his side with crucial breakthroughs. Even MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings skipper, could not stand firm against his spin. Chakravarthy proved to be that effective. But he could not work that charm wearing the blues.
He made his debut against Sri Lanka and was a part of the Indian team when the senior team was in on a tour of England. Shikhar Dhawan led the side for the games in Colombo, and Chakravarthy played in all the three T20Is of the series. He picked up two wickets in three games and managed to have a decent economy rate. As a result, he went on to represent India in the T20I World Cup.
He played three games in the league stage and was a part of the playing combination against Pakistan, New Zealand, and Scotland. However, he failed to pick a single wicket in the three outings, which forced him out of the lineup, and the 30-year-old has not been seen in the Indian setup ever since. Even in the IPL 2022, he could not leave a strong impression, as he did last year.
But that was the pinnacle of his professional life. He witnessed all the ups and downs within the span of a few months. With many more young and talented faces emerging in the camp, and also the experienced ones proving their worth in the team, Chakravarthy’s international career is under the scanner.
His poor form persisted in the IPL 2022 to the point where they were forced to leave him out of the starting lineup. In 11 games, he finished with six wickets and averaged more than 8.5 runs per over. The spinner would need to put in a lot of effort to make a return to the national side. He went back to the Tamil Nadu Premier League this year to start afresh, but the expectations from him would keep increasing given the number of players emerging.
