India’s leading T20I spinner and Kolkata Knight Riders star Varun Chakravarthy has never hidden his obsession with cricket. But few expected just how deep it runs—until he revealed a story that left fans both amused and inspired.
In a candid conversation on Breakfast with Champions with Gaurav Kapur, the 34-year-old mystery spinner shared how he once walked on stage at his own wedding reception with a cricket ball in hand—so habitual has the act of carrying one become in his daily life.
“If you meet me anywhere else, at any time of the day, you will find a ball with me. I always carry it. I do not even realise that I have carried it to a place. I did that in my reception as well as at my own wedding reception. I ended up taking the ball to the stage and then gave it to my brother to take it away. If that skin of the ball does not touch my hand, I start getting withdrawal symptoms like something is missing,” Chakravarthy recalled.
From architecture to cricket: a journey that began at 26
What makes Varun’s rise to the top of Indian cricket even more remarkable is that he didn’t even start taking the sport seriously until he was 26—an age by which most professional cricketers are already established. Before cricket, Chakravarthy pursued multiple creative interests including filmmaking, editing, and even architecture.
“If I go before 26, 24-26, it was all about movies. Before 24, it was about becoming the best architect in the world. So, after that, cricket became all of a sudden, it just happened. All my life, till I made it in cricket, the only thing I can remember is sleeping on my couch and thinking about what I am going to do with my life. I had pursued many other endeavours, and by the time I finished college, I had six to seven career options. I wanted to be an editor, so I learnt After Effects, Final Cut Pro and all those things. Then I went and learnt guitar. So I just wanted to do everything that was in trend at that time. At certain times, movie-making and short films were in trend, so I went with that flow. So many crazy stories with architecture as well,” he added.
Rejected by cricket academies due to age restrictions, Varun turned to an unlikely coach: YouTube.
“In cricket as well, I have tried everything. When I started out at 26, no academies would take me as the cut-off age was 20. So, my only guru, the sakshat guru, was YouTube. I kept seeing videos with at least 200-300 hours of bowling footage of Sunil Narine, Shahid Afridi, and Rashid Khan. Anil Kumble, I have watched easily thousands of hours of his bowling. This ignited a spark within me,” he concluded.
Learning from legends: Rohit’s tactics and Kohli’s fire
Now a key figure in India’s bowling setup, Chakravarthy also shared what it’s like to play under the leadership of modern Indian greats like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Each brings a different style to the field—tactics from one, and raw inspiration from the other.
“When you go to Rohit Sharma, he is very tactical. He’s like I’ll try to do this, you come, you bowl with the old ball, there will be more drift and all those things.”
Speaking about Virat Kohli, he said, “Virat just motivates you to the core and somewhat brings that Spartan energy inside. How much ever impossible the situation looks like just go for the kill. He brings that energy.”
From wedding ball to world stage
Today, Chakravarthy is one of the most successful spin bowlers in India’s T20I setup, having taken 40 wickets in just 24 matches at a stunning average of 15.60 and an economy of under 7. He has two five-wicket hauls in T20Is and a strong ODI record as well, including a fifer in just four games. He played a crucial role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and Asia Cup T20I triumphs.
In the IPL, he has captured over 100 wickets across 84 matches, including 21 wickets during Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning 2024 season.
From carrying a cricket ball to his own wedding to studying legends online, Varun Chakravarthy’s journey reflects a rare blend of passion, persistence, and late-blooming brilliance.
