Varun Chakaravarthy

Wanting room to try out his variations, he moved himself down from the second division of league cricket to the fourth. The gamble paid off. He collected 25 wickets, and his distinctive action began drawing attention. Karaikudi Kaalais handed him a TNPL contract in 2017, and he was also called to bowl in the Kolkata Knight Riders nets, where Sunil Narine was among those he worked alongside. He then reworked his action and broadened his repertoire. In the 2018 TNPL draft, Siechem Madurai Panthers made him the first selection.

His wicket haul that season was a modest 9, but his numbers elsewhere caught the eye. He conceded runs at an economy of 4.7, and 52.08 percent of his deliveries were dot balls, which came to 125 across 10 innings. Madurai went on to lift the title, and in the final he returned figures of 4-1-9-2. Those displays earned him a quick promotion to the Tamil Nadu team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018/19. Before IPL 2019, Kings XI Punjab signed him for INR 8.4 crore.

With KKR he took 17 wickets in IPL 2020 and 18 in IPL 2021. IPL 2022 was a harder season, with wickets and consistency both proving elusive. He recovered in IPL 2023, claiming 20 wickets from 14 matches. In IPL 2024 he did most of his work in the middle overs, frequently ending important partnerships, and he formed a key part of the attack with Narine as KKR won the title.

In IPL 2025 he remained a fixture in the KKR side. Batters approached him with greater caution, yet he kept his lines tight and struck at important moments. Even when wickets were scarce, the pressure he built with dot balls helped his teammates at the other end, and he stayed a reliable choice when matches were tight.