IND vs ENG: "After the 2021 T20 World Cup.." Varun Chakravarthy reveals how he transformed his bowling in last three years

Varun Chakravarthy bagged the Man of the Match award in the 1st T20I against England.

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been bamboozling batsmen with his mystery since returning to the side last year.

Following his Man of the Match-worthy performance (3/23) in the first T20I against England in Kolkata, the 33-year-old revealed the changes he made in his bowling after being dropped from the Indian side following the T20 World Cup 2021.

He had gone wicketless in three games in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE and was dropped immediately. He returned to the side late last year after terrific performances in the Indian Premier League 2024, where he helped Kolkata Knight Riders clinch the title.

I analysed my bowling and I found I was bowling more sidespin: Varun Chakravarthy

Since his return, he’s taken 20 wickets in eight games at an average of 11.70 with a best of 5/17, which came against South Africa in Gqeberha.

Chakravarthy’s comeback to the Indian side has simply been outstanding. He has revealed the couple of major changes he did to his bowling.

“After the 2021 World Cup, I analysed my bowling and what I found was I was bowling more sidespin, and I wasn’t being able to beat the batsmen through sidespin. I worked out that I need to beat them with bounce. Then I started working with overspin. If it bounces more, the chances are I can get it to spin more,” Chakravarthy said in the post-match presentation in Kolkata.

“I also worked on varying my pace [after my comeback], because I don’t want them to line me up by bowling at the same pace all the time. Because I’m used to seeing such pitches in the IPL, I know it is [ideal] for the seamers but there are certain lengths that are helpful [for the spinners] here. I am trying to keep it away from their arc. Bowling in the just-short length was holding a bit.”

The second IND vs ENG T20I is slated for Saturday in Chennai.

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