Veteran India commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded Varun Chakaravarthy for bowling a stunning spell in the second T20I between India and South Africa in Gqeberha on Sunday, November 10. He added that the mystery spinner had dismissed Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, two of South Africa’s most veteran batters, in back-to-back games as well as he registered figures of 5/17 in four overs.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “He was absolutely sensational – five wickets. He has dismissed Heinrich Klaasen twice in two games. He has dismissed David Miller twice in two games. He hit (Aiden) Markram’s stumps. He bowls googlies and at the stumps. He is absolutely outstanding. He is bowling slow in the air. It’s the antithesis of what spinners usually do in international cricket, especially in the T20 format. Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) bowls slow and Varun Chakaravarthy also does that. He also finishes the ball within the three stumps with subtle variations.”
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“He bowls a sort of leg-cutter and a googly. He bowls only two kinds of balls but bowls with accuracy. He doesn’t bowl too short or too full, and then the change of pace. Ravi Bishnoi also keeps the ball within the three stumps but he is very fast in the air. People are able to play the bowlers who bowl fast these days because they are used to that,” Chopra again added.
In the same video, Aakash Chopra also gave credit to the Indian Premier League and the Kolkata Knight Riders for Varun Chakaravarthy’s resurgence.
“What is Varun Chakaravarthy doing well? That’s the big question, as to what has changed. It’s clear that there is a difference. One thing is the confidence he has got after doing well consistently and here it’s absolutely imperative that we acknowledge the IPL’s contribution. Even your first-class team doesn’t play you at times if you are of his age. They don’t play you in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy also as they prefer giving a chance to a youngster. However, you played for Kolkata and picked up wickets consistently, year after year, and then got a chance to play for India again,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
