India wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy expressed that his focus remains on excellence and contributing to the team’s success as it begins the final stages of preparation for the Men’s T20 World Cup. This comes ahead of the series opener against New Zealand at the New VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Chakaravarthy’s Commitment to Excellence
“It’s obviously a good feeling when that’s a validation of what you get from the external world, but that’s not what we go and fetch for. What we strive for is excellence and victory for the country that we play for. So, that’s what we are looking for, and things have been set in the right place, and we are all ready for what’s happening,” said Chakaravarthy during a pre-game discussion with broadcasters.
Currently ranked as the top men’s T20I bowler, Chakaravarthy had a challenging time during the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, his resurgence since 2024 has solidified his position within the team.
Adapting and Evolving
“I would say I had to change my routine and change my skill in certain ways. As I already mentioned, I was more of a side-spin bowler before. But right now, I’m bowling more of over-spin, and including that, I have to spend more time in the gym, training, and all those things. So I changed my routines a bit, and that has worked for me,” he added.
Welcoming the Challenge
When asked about the challenge of batters looking to attack him, Chakaravarthy responded, “That generally plays into my favour. So, I want that to happen. I want them to take me on, and that’s when I can create possibilities of them making a mistake. So, I’m happy with that.”
Chakaravarthy concluded by discussing his practice regimen before a game. “Basically, I do try to keep it as real as possible to the match. If I bowl a no-ball in practice, my next ball will be a free hit. So, I just don’t go and bowl—I try to make it as close to the match as possible. So, that’s my only goal.”