Varun Chakravarthy, known for his leg-spin bowling, represents Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He debuted in T20Is for India in July 2021 and played his first ODI in February 2025, becoming a key player in both formats.
Varun Chakravarthy: Early Life and Education
Varun Chakravarthy was born on 29 August 1991 in Bidar, Karnataka. His father, Vinod Chakravarthy, worked as an ITS officer for BSNL, while his mother, Malini, hailed from Karnataka. Though born in Karnataka, Varun grew up in Adyar, Chennai.
He attended Kendriya Vidyalaya CLRI and later St. Patrick’s Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Chennai. During his school days, he played cricket as a wicket-keeper. However, he decided to quit the sport temporarily to focus on academics.
Varun pursued a bachelor’s degree in architecture from SRM University. After graduating, he worked as an architect. However, at the age of 25, he left his profession to chase his dream of becoming a cricketer.
Varun Chakravarthy: Journey into Cricket
Initially, Varun started as a pace bowler. However, a knee injury in 2017 forced him to stay away from the game for six months. During his recovery, he transitioned to spin bowling. This change proved to be a turning point in his career.
Varun gained recognition during the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). He took 9 wickets at an economy rate of 4.70, helping Madurai Panthers secure their maiden title. In the same year, he made his List A debut for Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, with 22 dismissals in 9 matches.
Varun Chakravarthy: IPL and Domestic Success
In December 2018, Kings XI Punjab bought Varun for ₹8.4 crores in the IPL auction. However, his debut match on 27 March 2019 did not go as planned. He conceded 25 runs in his first over, a record for most runs given in an IPL debut over.
The team released him ahead of the 2020 IPL auction. Kolkata Knight Riders then acquired him for the 2020 season. Varun proved his worth by taking a five-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals on 24 October 2020. He emerged as Kolkata Knight Riders’ highest wicket-taker in the 2021 IPL.
In the 2024 IPL, Varun finished as the second-highest wicket-taker, claiming 21 dismissals at an average of 19.14. He also excelled in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, taking 18 wickets in 6 matches for Tamil Nadu.
International Career
Varun first earned a call-up to India’s T20I squad in 2020 for the series against Australia. Unfortunately, an injury kept him out of action. He later made his T20I debut on 25 July 2021 against Sri Lanka, dismissing Dasun Shanaka for his first wicket.
In February 2025, Varun made his ODI debut against England. At 33, he became the second-oldest Indian player to debut in ODIs, after Farookh Engineer.
Personal Life and Other Ventures
Varun made a cameo in the 2014 Tamil film Jeeva as a club cricketer. On 11 December 2020, he married his longtime girlfriend, Neha Khedekar, in Chennai.
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