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Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has admitted that his bowling style is not suited for Test cricket, citing limitations in his workload. The 33-year-old, who has made a name for himself in T20 and ODI formats, revealed that he can only bowl a maximum of 10-15 overs per day, which is not ideal for the demands of red-ball cricket.
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“My Bowling Style Doesn’t Suit Test Cricket” – Varun Chakaravarthy
Despite his interest in playing Test cricket, Varun acknowledged the challenges in an interview on a YouTube podcast with Gobinath.
🗣️ “I do have an interest in Tests, but my bowling style doesn’t suit Test cricket. Mine is almost like medium pace. In Test cricket, you’ve to continuously bowl 20-30 overs. I can’t do that in my bowling. Since I bowl quick, the maximum I can bowl is 10-15 overs, which is not suited for red-ball cricket.”
Varun’s Journey: From Architecture to Cricket Stardom
Varun’s cricketing journey is nothing short of inspiring. After initially leaving cricket to pursue a degree in Architecture, he worked in a Chennai-based firm before making a dramatic return to professional cricket.
- Started as a wicketkeeper-batter in school
- Transitioned to medium-pace bowling before eventually becoming a spinner
- Made his professional debut in September 2018
- Represented India in the 2021 T20 World Cup and faced heavy criticism
- Made a strong comeback, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker in India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2024 victory
“No Regrets About Switching to Spin”
Varun has no second thoughts about giving up fast bowling, especially considering the conditions in Tamil Nadu.
🗣️ “That’s why I am here. I would’ve been stuck there had I bowled pace. There are so many pacers. Also, it doesn’t swing in Tamil Nadu wickets. They are spin-friendly wickets. So you can’t see many fast bowlers from Tamil Nadu. It is very rare.”
Interestingly, he drew parallels with India’s veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who also switched from pace to spin early in his career.
🗣️ “Even (Ravichandran) Ashwin became a spinner after leaving fast bowling. So I am happy.”
Varun’s Focus: White-Ball Cricket
With his sights firmly set on limited-overs formats, Varun is concentrating on excelling in T20s and ODIs.
Having already proven his mettle on the international stage, he will be a key player for his IPL franchise and India in upcoming white-ball tournaments.
While Test cricket may not be in his plans, Varun Chakaravarthy is set to remain a crucial figure in India’s spin attack in shorter formats.
