Varun Chakravarthy: Architect of his own destiny

Varun Chakaravarthy was driving when he was suddenly bombarded with a hundred calls. As he pulled over to one side, he thought he had an inkling of what they were about.

Indian cricketer Varun Chakravarthy | Kings XI Punjab: 8.40 crore (File | PTI)

JAIPUR/CHENNAI : Varun Chakravarthy was driving when he was suddenly bombarded with a hundred calls. As he pulled over to one side, he thought he had an inkling of what they were about. After all, he knew the IPL auctions were going on and that he was on the radars of a number of teams after leading Madurai Panthers to the Tamil Nadu Premier League title.

But the price tag surprised even him — the fast-bowler-turned-architect-turned-mystery-spinner had been snapped up by Kings XI Punjab for a whopping Rs 8.4 crore.

“I never dreamt that I would be bought for such a big amount,” he said on Tuesday. “After TNPL, I was confident that I would be bought. But I thought someone would pick me for the base price of Rs 20 lakh.”

A few years ago, what unfolded on Tuesday was a scenario that would have been deemed unrealistic for even the wildest of Varun’s dreams. He was stuck in the rigours of corporate life. Varun, a promising fast bowler, had been persuaded to quit cricket and become an architect by his parents.

However that sense of unfulfilment inside prompted him to quit his job last year to get back to cricket. Initially, it was tough to find a club willing to take him. He reached out to Abdul Jabbar, a former Tamil Nadu cricketer, who advised him to quit being a pacer after he sustained an injury. He also found a gig playing in the TNCA’s fourth division league.

That was when life, like his deliveries, began to turn in a way no one quite predicted. Batsmen, unable to read his fingers, began succumbing to him en masse which prompted TNPL clubs to take notice. His exploits caught the eye of Ravichandran Ashwin.

The 27-year-old eventually spun his way into the plans of Kings XI Punjab who were looking for someone to cover for Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who they suspected would not be available for the entire season.

They had to beat out interest from Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders as Varun’s value soared beyond what anyone foresaw. Varun’s leap of faith had paid off!