Varun Chakraborty (PTI Photo) LUCKNOW: From the wilderness of being labeled a ‘one-season wonder’ after the 2021 T20 World Cup to standing atop world cricket as the undisputed number one in the T20I bowlers’ rankings, Varun Chakravarthy’s journey has been nothing short of a movie. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!As the Indian team prepares to defend their T20 World Cup title from February March to 2026, the 34-year-old enigmatic spinner is no longer just an option; he is the most important cog in the wheel, Bankers captain Suryakumar Yadav turns to when the game hangs in the balance. His recent achievements in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa have only cemented that status, taking him to a career-best ICC score of 818 points. To put his dominance into perspective, Varun now holds a staggering 119-point lead over his nearest rival, New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy. Even more remarkable is Varun’s entry into elite territory – eighth in the list of best T20I bowling ratings, putting him alongside T20 greats like Umar Gul, Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan.
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This statistical superiority is the product of a spectacular arc of redemption. Since his return to the national fold in October 2024, Varun has been nothing short of a revelation. The “mystery” tag that once seemed like a burden during his indifferent debut years has now matured into “mastery”. What makes Varun’s influence particularly valuable for India is the duality of his role. It is not just the bowler who is tasked with suffocating the run flow in the middle overs; he is often India’s main wicket threat when matches threaten to slip away. He was only a regular draft pick in 2025, a trait that separates him from the defensive mites of the past. In just 17 innings, Varun took 32 wickets at a staggering average of 13.18, conceding runs at a paltry economy of 6.69 every 11.8 balls he bowled. His most telling performance came in Rajkot in January, where he tore through the English batting with a match-defining spell of 5 for 24. The secret, teammates and analysts point out, is not the secret itself, but the controlled, layered variation. He runs at vastly different speeds within the same over, sometimes turning his fingers at under 90km/h before firing one at nearly 110. His carrom ball, slider and top spinner release with almost identical actions, so overthinking is dangerous.
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“He has something different about him… if he gets it right, he is very difficult to read,” former India captain Rohit Sharma said of Varun. Unlike many modern spinners who rely heavily on matchups, Varun has shown that he can operate against both right-handers and left-handers with tactical ease. What makes Varun indispensable to India’s World Cup defense is the unique technical pain he presents to opposition analysis teams. Unlike traditional spinners who release googlies from the back of the hand, Varun delivers both leg break and googlies from the side of the hand. This biomechanical quirk denies the batter the primary visual cue needed to select the direction of rotation. In addition, he added a deadly new dimension to his game: the ability to land his googly with significant overspin. His deliveries dip sharply and slide off the surface, targeting the stumps and reducing the reaction time of the batter. It is no coincidence that a high percentage of his wickets have been bowled or LBW. It takes the pitch out of the equation, making it effective even on the flat tracks that ICC tournaments often produce. “He has changed the game. He brings the X-factor for us. He has been playing for so many years but he is still able to hold his own,” coach Gautam Gambhir said. The Indian think tank, led by Surya and Gambhir, is well aware of its value. There is a reason why Ravichandran Ashwin recently advised the management to “save” Varun for the big games. The logic is sound: the less top teams are exposed to his variations in bilateral games, the stronger he will be in high-pressure World Cup knockout matches. It gives the team a tactical flexibility that is irreplaceable. With Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh handling the pace duties at the start and death, Varun owns the middle overs — the stage where T20 games are often won or lost.
