Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has praised Varun Chakaravarthy for bowling a match-winning spell in the first T20I against England in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22 as well. He also appreciated the veteran spinner for bowling slow through the air, as opposed to what Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan usually does also. He also claimed 3/23 in four overs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Since the time Varun Chakaravarthy has come back, he has started bowling in the powerplay. He came and bowled the sixth over and his bowling was incredible. The thing I am liking the most is that he is bowling slow in the air. He is happy to just flight the ball. Pace is a huge marker in my opinion because nowadays spinners become fast as soon as they get hit and fast bowlers become slow. If a spinner bowls with confidence, he goes slow. You go slow even if you are hit for a six unless you are a Rashid Khan. His bowling style is different. He will bowl fast. However, Varun Chakaravarthy is not Rashid.”
ALSO READ: “Shubman’s captaincy is very good” – Ravi Bishnoi on Shubman Gill
In the same video, Aakash Chopra also stated that Varun Chakaravarthy’s variations are no longer easy to read as well.

“He has variations as well. He bowls a slight leg-break, the ball doesn’t turn much, but the googly is good. People used to read him earlier, that it would be a googly if he bowled fast and a leg-break if it was slow. It used to work out if they watched his hand a little,. He also used to bowl bad balls, either short or full. So they used to say they would manage him. However, that has changed in the last couple of years if you see the consistency in terms of length and even line. He doesn’t bowl bad balls. They start and finish within the three stumps. He even starts them from slightly outside the off-stump when he wishes,” Aakash Chopra concluded.