"Opponents have to study him before counter attacking": Pandit on Varun Chakravarthy

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit reckons mystery spinner Chakravarthy could be a threat at Indian Premier League

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit reckons his mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, India’s hero in the just concluded ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai, will continue being a massive threat to batters in the upcoming IPL-18.

Defending champions KKR play Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening game of the tournament at the Eden Gardens on March 22.

“The way Varun has been bowling and he has bowled, in the Champions Trophy, he could be a threat for the batters in the IPL. They [opponents] have to study him before counter attacking, be a little patient. They will have to be careful or need to study him well,” Pandit told mid-day from Kolkata on Tuesday. 

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Chandrakant Pandit

Chakravarthy, 33, who was not part of India’s initial squad for the ICC event, ended the tournament as India’s highest wicket-taker with nine scalps along with pacer Mohammed Shami. 

“I was not surprised [at Chakravarthy’s performance in the CT], because he has that calibre to deliver on any surface. [Indian] Team management always looks at a combination and once they understand the surface and the conditions, it helps them make the combination. I think Rohit [Sharma] as captain must have felt that Varun will be the ideal bowler for that [Dubai] surface,” Pandit remarked. 

While Rohit & Co found it difficult to tackle Chakravarthy at net sessions, Pandit admitted that even KKR batters didn’t have it easy. “Varun has always been a bowler to watch even in the nets. KKR batters — overseas or Indian — have been practising against him, but they always take a couple of days to settle down with him,” remarked the former India wicketkeeper-batsman. 

Chakravarthy made his CT debut in the league game against New Zealand on March 2, claiming a match-winning 5-42. He returned figures of 2-45 against the Kiwis in the decider on Sunday. 

Recalling his first meeting with Chakravarthy at a KKR camp, Pandit said: “I met him for the first time in Mumbai three years ago when Abhishek Nayar [then KKR assistant coach] was conducting a camp for some of the Indian players at the Dilip Vengsarkar Academy in Mahul. I noticed that he has wonderful skills, which I had already seen on television. When I saw him, he was still working on his skills and it was very difficult to read him. I thought then that he’d be a very tough bowler to face on any helpful wicket.”

Chakravarthy emerged the second highest wicket-taker with 21 scalps in IPL-17 after Punjab Kings pacer Harshal Patel (24 wickets). Pandit felt Chakravarthy will be his key bowler in IPL-18 as well. 

“We used him in crucial stages. Sometimes, we had him bowl in the Powerplay and at other times, at the death. He will be one of our key bowlers in the upcoming IPL,” Pandit added.

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