Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy News

View all

We invite you to find out all the latest information about the cricketer Varun Chakravarthy, how he trains, which cricket matches he has already participated in, and which ones he plans to participate in.

Varun Chakravarthy OUT? India’s Asian Games Squad Set for Major Overhaul

The Indian team is about to have a change, since Varun Chakravarthy is likely to be ruled out of the team for Asian Games. The team looks at Vipraj Nigam as a probable replacement, with Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel being looked forward as the possible players for the ODI series.

Varun Chakravarthy01:56 PM, 15 September, 2026

BCCI CoE Faces Fresh Scrutiny After Varun’s Injury Setback

Varun Chakravarthy05:08 PM, 12 July, 2026

BCCI Unveils Replacement Picks for England ODIs and Zimbabwe T20Is

Varun Chakravarthy03:20 PM, 01 July, 2026

AI Simulation | ENG vs IND | Varun Chakravarthy Spins India to Thrilling 12-Run Victory Over England

Varun Chakravarthy03:49 PM, 28 May, 2026

Workload Management Debate Returns After Injury Concerns in IPL 2026

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, where he continued to lead the spin attack with 17 wickets and a best of 3/22.

For the 2026 season, Varun Chakravarthy has been retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 12 crore. He enters the tournament in world-class form, having recently finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker (14 wickets) in the 2026 T20 World Cup, playing a key role in India’s journey to the final.

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.
2026	Kolkata Knight Riders	Enters the 2026 IPL season as a world champion.

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.