Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun came forward and talked about how much of confidence star spinner Varun Chakravarthy has gained since his debut for the national team.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has caught all the headlines after he came forward and shared a story about star India spinner Varun Chakravarthy’s time from when he made his debut for the Indian team. It is interesting to note that Chakravarthy made his India debut back in 2021.
He made his debut under stand-in skipper Shikhar Dhawan in the Sri Lanka tour. He also went on to play in the T20 World Cup the same year under Virat Kohli. Notably, Chakravarthy went wicketless throughout the World Cup, and his subpar showing saw him being dropped from the side as well.
However, it was Varun’s performance in the IPL 2024 that saw him come back to the Indian team, and through his stellar performances, the star spinner went on to finish the Champions Trophy 2025 as India’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament, and his showing was crucial to the side winning the title.
Speaking of the changes in his demeanour, Bharat Arun revealed that Varun did not have the confidence to ask Virat what field he wanted back in 2021. However, all of that has changed now that the star player has picked up form.
“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. 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 said in a YouTube interview with former batter S. Badrinath.
Chakravarthy has been in exceptional form since his comeback in the Indian team. He picked up 31 wickets in 12 T20Is, and his performances in the shortest format saw him earn favour in the ODI side, which proved to be fruitful for the Men in Blue as well.
