India's Champions Trophy hero stepped into the world of cinema 7 years ago, admits being 'scared' to discuss field positioning with captain Virat Kohli

Despite having a talented line-up of spinners including Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, the Indian team decided to include Varun in their squad due to his skillful ability to deceive batsmen with a wide range of variations.

His performances in the IPL established his credentials, but international cricket is a different challenge altogether. This time, however, he appeared far more assured than when he first played for India in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Back then, the limelight felt overwhelming. Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun recalls his international debut. “He definitely looked a bit overawed. He was scared of even telling Virat Kohli what field setting he wanted. He ended up bowling to the field given to him,” Arun, who also works with him at Kolkata Knight Riders, told The Indian Express.

Varun’s confidence underwent a drastic transformation. He returned to domestic cricket, regained his rhythm, and became a key player in the IPL. That turnaround was evident in his Champions Trophy performances, where he had been a constant threat to opposition batters.

“Look at him now. He is a totally different cricketer. We say cricket at the elite level is 90% mental and Varun stands true for it. He now knows what to do when given the ball. He is setting his own field, because he believes in himself more,” Arun added.

Played a movie cameo

A feature from Indian Express also reveals that Chakaravarthy played a small cameo in a Tamil movie called ‘Jeeva’, starring Vishnu Vishal in a lead role. The film revolved around a life of a struggling cricketer who almost quit the sport, until a phone call from an IPL scout changed his life.

Chakaravarthy, too, doesn't hail from a sporting background. After working in a 9-5 job at the start of his career, he didn't transition to cricket until he was 26. He started with tennis ball cricket, and then moved to the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) before landing a contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

The Express feature also reveals Chakaravarthy's struggles with Yo-Yo tests and the demands of international cricket.

“Obviously, when I was 26, I didn’t have a history of hitting the gym because I was in a 9-5 job earlier. Then I directly got into a cricket team and first three years I kept failing the fitness tests. If someone says, ‘You have a yo-yo test slotted for tomorrow,’ I never used to get sleep. Have got panic attacks,” Varun recently shared on Fries With Potate.

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