Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy (AFP Photo)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has credited his long-time bowling partner Sunil Narine for shaping his career, emphasising their strong on-field understanding.
“Now that I’ve played five years alongside him — this is my sixth year — we don’t need to communicate as much anymore. He doesn’t have to spoon-feed me. Whatever I can learn, I just observe what he is doing,” Chakaravarthy said on JioHotstar’s Gen Bold.
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Acknowledging Narine’s stature in T20 cricket, he added, “We have always bowled well in tandem, and he has been the most valuable player in T20 cricket from the very beginning. Even this year, he will be the MVP.”
Discussing his approach in high-pressure situations, Chakaravarthy emphasised keeping things simple. “Don’t try to bowl a magic ball or create a magic moment. The most impactful thing you can do is stick to your basics, do them well, and execute them properly,” he explained.

As a key bowler for KKR, he acknowledged the weight of expectations. “Expectations have always been there from the first game I played, and it’s the same for every cricketer in the IPL. You just need to focus on your process and not think too far ahead.”
Chakaravarthy is keen to dismiss India captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli in IPL 2025. “Definitely any batsman who is in great form. Players like Heinrich Klaasen, Nicholas Pooran, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav—these guys are all star players. I would be very happy if I could pick their wickets,” he said.

Chakaravarthy, fresh from a stellar run in India’s Champions Trophy triumph in Dubai, remains focused on continuous improvement. “You can have a great previous tournament, but again you have to start from scratch. That’s what cricket teaches you. I’m preparing for that — starting from zero,” he concluded.