DUBAI: It’s difficult to describe Varun Chakravarthy‘s relationship with the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS)-but it’s a place that occupies centrestage in his life’s story. It was here, and in the other two venues in UAE, that he first made a mark, taking wickets by the bucketful in IPL-2020 and the second half of IPL-2021 to earn a call-up for India’s squad for the Sri Lanka tour in 2021 and the T20 World Cup that year. Touted as a ‘mystery bowler,’ he was supposed to be India’s secret weapon in that tournament.
However, enduring a nightmarish time on Oct 24, 2021 evening at DICS, Varun ended up being hammered for 4-0-33-0 as Pakistan’s openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan treated him like a club bowler while taking their team to a commanding 10-wicket victory over India in Twenty20 World Cup. A week later, Varun again went wicketless at the same venue, conceding 0-23 in four overs after being asked to open the bowling, as New Zealand thrashed India by eight wickets. Varun’s so-called ‘mystery’ had fizzled out. It seemed that he developed stage fright, that he was rushed too soon after a few good IPL performances. However, unfazed by the setback, the spinner went back to the grind of domestic cricket, picked wickets consistently for Tamil Nadu and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, and was back with a bang last year, taking three for 31 in India’s win over Bangladesh in the first T20I last year. It’s a fairytale comeback which is turning rosier by the day.

On Sunday night, Varun ruled at DICS, making a smashing return to a venue where he once failed to pick a wicket across three games in a World Cup. Fielded as the fourth spinner on a turning pitch, the 33-year-old destroyed the Kiwi batting line-up, taking five for 42 in eight overs, thus burying the ghosts of 2021 for ever, as he helped India canter to an emphatic 44-run victory.
“Yeah, of course, in 2021, we didn’t have — I didn’t, personally, have a great tournament here. But I do feel that I did bowl decently. But the results were not our way. But it looks good right now. And Team India is doing well,” Varun said, talking about that forgettable phase in Dubai .
Naturally, in the backdrop of his history with this venue, Varun was a bit emotional when he came onto bowl in the 10th over of the innings, before the -captain Rohit Sharma and the other senior India players calmed him down. “The first spell of mine, I was a little nervous because the previous things, the emotions and all were playing..whatever happened in the last three years before on this ground was playing a little bit with me, and I was trying to keep it down, control it. But Virat bhai, Rohit and even Hardik were telling me to calm down. That really helped,” Varun said.
In three spells across ten overs, Varun left the Black Caps befuddled with his variations. He has now completely confused the Indian team management about whether to pick him for the semifinal against Australia on Wednesday-a hugely tempting idea indeed. “He has something different about him, so wanted to try and see what he can offer. We haven’t thought much about the next game, but it’s a good headache to have,” said skipper Rohit Sharma said post Varun’s heroics.
“Oh, he bowled beautifully, didn’t he? I think he showed his skill tonight, the way he turned the ball both ways, and even the way that he could bowl pace. I thought he was brilliant,” said Kiwi pacer Matt Henry, who took identical figures to Varun’s five for 42, but was overshadowed by the Indian tweaker’s spellbinding magic.
Having seen him from close quarters for the past couple of years-he played a key role in his team’s IPL title triumph last year, taking 18 wickets in 17 matches@24.88, KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit feels that Varun is now a more dangerous bowler because of the confidence he has gained due to his success in the last few months.
“India made 249, which wasn’t a handsome total. Therefore, Varun’s effort was special, in fact outstanding. He picked up wickets at the right time. Varun is a pillar of India’s bowling unit. He’s got many variations. From what I’ve been watching him in the last few matches, he has gained a lot of confidence. I feel that earlier, he used to be a little hesitant if a batter would attack him. He used to look a little confused. However, I feel that his character has changed a lot now, purely because his confidence level is very high at the moment, which reflects in his bowling run-up. Now, if anyone is trying to attack him, it doesn’t matter to him. From a couple of deliveries that I saw him bowl, he has adjusted his variations in the air-some of deliveries are slower, while some go quicker. The main thing about his spell yesterday was that even when he was spinning the in or away from the batter, his line and length was good. That is his biggest forte. The pressure to defend 249 was a big challenge for him, but he showed courage and consistency, and his new-found confidence helped him too,” Pandit told TOI.
Pandit said that even the Indian batters, normally good against spin, were struggling to pick Varun in the last couple of years! “I’ve had a lot of conversations with him in the last few years. He hardly speaks, but knows what he’s going to do. And he has own plan as well. His acceptance level (to suggestions) is fantastic. whenever we, I and the (KKR) bowling coach (Bharat Arun) discuss anything with him. He knows his ability, strength, and he tries to deliver accordingly. It’s not just the international teams-in the last couple of years, I’ve seen most of the India batters too struggle while facing him!” the veteran coach said.
Indeed, there’s some enigma about Varun, which is why the Indian team management-captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir are so fond of him. Ahead of India’s Champions Trophy 2025’s campaign opener against Bangladesh, Rohit gave a ‘soft warning’ message to the opponent teams about how tricky it can guessing about Varun move for the Champions Trophy. The Indian captain said that Varun doesn’t bowl all his variations, even in the nets. “Varun Chakaravarthy has been impressive, he doesn’t bowl in nets with much variation, I think he is keeping it a secret (laughs),” Rohit said. Basically, Varun is a ‘joker’ in the pack-you don’t when he will turn the deal in your favour!
On Sunday, Varun even gave a peek about the multiple variations in his bowling. “Basically, the ball that goes inside, outside and goes straight. So, you can keep it that way but there are minute changes that you can do with that also,” he said. If only decoding his ‘bowling code’ was so simple!
Interestingly, the five wickets that he took weren’t Varun’s best deliveries on the night. However, it’s the 55 other balls that he bowled that seemed to have left the Black Caps in a tangle in their minds. Will Young, who played a googly onto the stumps, was his first victim. Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell were given out lbw-the latter walked off without even seeking a DRS review which would’ve overturned the decision. Mitchell Santner’s off-stump was uprooted by a seam-up delivery , and finally, Matt Henry holed out to long on.
“Yeah, I think I can do it better. But I would definitely not term it as luck. But it was definitely planned out. I planned out all the deliveries. And if it happens, it happens. In cricket anything can happen and can’t term it as luck,” Varun said.