IPL | Russell explodes, Rana holds nerve as KKR survive Parag’s scare in last-over thriller
KKR beat RR by just one run in a thrilling contest. KKR were powered by Angkrish Raghuvanshi's composure and Andre Russell's late-innings carnage to post 206/4. While Rajasthan’s chase was anchored by a valiant 95 off 45 balls from Riyan Parag, but the visitors fell agonizingly short of the target.
IPL | Twitter sees silent Varun explode after stunning Jurel and Hasaranga with spin magic
DC vs KKR | Narine and Varun turn the screws as Delhi suffer second loss on the bounce
PBKS vs KKR | Twitter in awe as Chahal’s four-fer outshines KKR’s collapse in a nail-biting thriller
CSK vs KKR | Narine, Chakaravarthy wreck CSK as Dhoni’s captaincy return turns nightmare
International career
Varun Chakravarthy has had some key moments in his international cricket career, starting from his debut to his recent performances. Here's a look at his achievements:
- July 25, 2021: Varun made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo. He took 1/28 in four overs and had an economy rate of 7. He also got the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka.
- 2021: After a strong IPL season, Varun was included in India's squad for the T20 World Cup. He played three matches, but was dropped after failing to take any wickets, despite keeping his economy rate low.
- 2024: Varun returned to international cricket with a match against Bangladesh. He took 3/33 in four overs, with key wickets of Tohid Hridiya, Jake Ali, and Rishad Hossain.
- January 2025: He was named Player of the Match in the first T20I between India and England. Chakravarthy bowled well and finished as the best bowler in the match, helping India win by 132 runs.
- February 2025: Varun made his ODI debut for India. He became the second-oldest player to debut in ODIs after Farookh Engineer.
Chakravarthy has shown resilience and continues to make an impact in international cricket.
Leagues Participation
Varun Chakravarthy has played in various cricket leagues, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the most well-known. His journey through the IPL has seen some challenges and successes, with notable performances for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Indian Premier League
Varun’s IPL story started after his strong performance in the 2018 TNPL season. He was picked by Kings XI Punjab for INR 8.4 crore, a huge increase from his base price of INR 20 lakh. He played only one match in IPL 2019 before an injury kept him out for a long time. In 2020, Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 4 crore. That season, Varun impressed with 17 wickets in 13 matches and his best-ever performance of 5/20. He helped KKR reach the IPL 2021 final with 18 wickets in 17 matches. After a tough 2022 season, he bounced back, taking 20 wickets in IPL 2023 and 21 wickets in IPL 2024, which helped KKR win their third title. For IPL 2025, KKR retained him for INR 12 crore.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
|
2019
|
Kings XI Punjab
|
Played one match; injured for most of the season.
|
|
2020
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
Bought for INR 4 crore; career-best 5/20.
|
|
2021
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
18 wickets; KKR reached the final.
|
|
2022
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
Tough season; injury and form issues.
|
|
2023
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
20 wickets; KKR won their third IPL title.
|
|
2024
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
21 wickets; key player in KKR’s title win.
|
|
2025
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
Retained for INR 12 crore for IPL 2025.
|
Domestic career
Varun Chakravarthy started his List-A career with Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19, where he took 22 wickets in 9 matches, becoming the top wicket-taker for his team. A month later, he debuted in first-class cricket for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy 2018-19, but it was his only match in that format. Varun’s rise began in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), playing for Siechem Madurai Panthers in 2018. His great bowling helped Madurai win their first title, drawing attention from talent scouts. He bowled 40 overs, with 125 dot balls and an economy rate of 4.7, the best among bowlers who bowled at least 15 overs. Chennai Super Kings' coach Michael Hussey praised him as a talented player. Varun now plays for the Dindigul Dragons in TNPL.
Records and achievements
Varun Chakravarthy has achieved significant milestones in his career. Here are his key records:
- Most wickets for Tamil Nadu in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19: 22 wickets
- Second-most wickets in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19: After Shahbaz Nadeem (JHK)
- Second uncapped player to take a five-wicket haul in IPL: After Ankit Rajpoot (KXIP)
- Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2020: 17 wickets
- Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021: 18 wickets
- Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023: 20 wickets
- Joint-highest wicket-taker in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023-24: 19 wickets (tied with Sai Kishore)
- Third-most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders: After Sunil Narine and Andre Russell
- Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024: 21 wickets
- Most wickets by a spinner in IPL 2024
- Second-most wickets in IPL 2024: After Harshal Patel (PBKS)
- Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders by an Indian in IPL: 82 wickets
Awards:
- Player of the Match (POTM): In the first T20I match between India and England in January 2025. Chakravarthy took the most wickets, leading India to a 132-run victory.
- Player of the Series: For his performance in the five-match T20I series against England. He took 14 wickets and ranked as the second-best bowler in the ICC men's T20I rankings.
Personal life
Varun Chakravarthy was born on 29 August 1991 in Bidar, Karnataka. He went to school in Chennai at Kendriya Vidyalaya CLRI and St. Patrick's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. He played cricket during his school years. Varun later finished his bachelor’s degree in architecture from SRM University. At the age of 25, he left his job as an architect to focus on his cricket career.
Family
Varun’s father, Vinod Chakravarthy, is the Chief General Manager at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. His mother, Malini, stays at home. On December 11, 2020, Varun married Neha Khedekar, his long-time girlfriend. They have a son named Aathman. Varun also has a sister, Vanditha Chakravarthy.
Finance
Varun Chakravarthy’s net worth is about Rs 40 crore in 2025.
House
Varun lives in a luxurious home in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He bought the house a few years ago, and it is in a great location with views of the city skyline. The house has large rooms, a spacious living and dining area, a swimming pool, an entertainment area, a study, and a private gym. He also has a big backyard for family activities and hosting parties.
Scandals
In the early part of his career, Varun faced some controversy when he was left out of India’s T20 squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup due to fitness concerns. This raised questions about his fitness and form, making people doubt his readiness for the tournament.
Fans
Varun has a lot of fans. In 2020, it became known that he is a fan of Tamil actor Vijay. He shared a photo on Twitter where he shook hands with Vijay. He has 620k followers on Instagram.
