Latest news with #Chakravarthy
NDTV
5 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
India Star "Followed CSK Bus On Scooter", Net Bowling Stint Changed His Career
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has made careers for many Indian cricketers. Arguably the biggest cricketing talent show in the world, the T20 league has given platforms to hundreds of budding cricketers, some of whom managed to seize the opportunities and make it big on the international stage. One such player is Varun Chakravarthy, who is 100 percent a product of the IPL and is a certain pick in India's white-ball teams at present. However, the start wasn't the most comfortable for Varun, who got the opportunity to make his mark in the sport quite late. In a chat with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Chakravarthy explained how a net-bowling stint with CSK paved the way for his entry in the IPL. Though the mystery spinner didn't get to play for the Super Kings, he did manage to turn heads as a net bowler for them before making it big for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). "I bowled to DK, who was impressed and said that he would call me later on. That was the year Chennai was coming back to the IPL after two years of not playing. An interesting incident happened at that time. I learned that Mr. TS Mohan was handling the net bowlers for CSK. I was going on a scooter, following the CSK bus, and I called him from outside the Chepauk stadium. "I told him that I bowl mystery spin and asked if there was a chance I could be a net bowler for CSK. He asked me which division I played in, and I said that I played in the fifth division. He explained that they only took first division bowlers and no one else. See, he could have easily said no to me, but somehow, he just asked me to come meet him the next day," Chakravarthy revealed during the candid chat with Ashwin. Varun went to the stadium the next day and was delighted to be given the opportunity to bowl in the nets, even ahead of some of the first-division players. "The next day, I saw that every bowler there was from the first division, except me, who was from the lowest division. Something clicked with him, and he first gave the ball to me. He wanted to see what I was about. All the first division bowlers were waiting behind me. I was bowling to Bravo, and the first two balls were straight beamers. "I was so nervous. After that, I started beating them and bowled really well to Bravo, Dhoni, Raina, and others. They were very impressed and asked if I'd registered for the IPL. All of this happened on Day 1 itself. When they asked if I had registered for the IPL, I told them that I hadn't even registered for the first division. So, they asked me to come to do net bowling for CSK," he revealed. Unfortunately, CSK had to shift their base to Pune that year, and the management decided against taking Chakravarthy as their net bowler. The call from Dinesh Karthik, however, eventually came, and soon Varun became a net bowler for the Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2019, Varun was signed by the Punjab Kings, though he didn't get to play a lot for them. Since 2020, however, the spinner has been a central figure in the KKR side. "After two matches of CSK in Chennai, they had to shift everything to Pune because of some political issues. So, they didn't take me there, and I was in Chennai. Then, DK called me and asked me to join KKR as their net bowler. I had a good time there and bowled really well. That's where I met Abhishek, and that's when everything started changing," he said.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Teary-Eyed R Ashwin Hugs KKR Star After Final Over TNPL Heroics. Video Viral
Varun Chakravarthy showcased nerves of steel and guided Dindigul Dragons to a last-ball victory over SKM Salem Spartans in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Chakravarthy struck two boundaries off the final two deliveries as Dragons won the game by two wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. On the penultimate ball, Chakravarthy smashed a six towards the cow corner, before lofting one over mid-off on the final over to collect a four. Chasing 189, the Dragons needed 11 runs from the final over. After Chakravarthy hit the winning runs, his teamates charged into the field, barring skipper Ravichandran Ashwin who remained seated at the dugout. In a viral video, Ashwin looked visibly emotional, but later went on to give Chakravarthy a tight hug. Varun Chakravarthy delivered a humdinger finish for the Dindigul Dragons! @TNCACricket @DindigulDragons @chakaravarthy29 #TNPL #NammaOoruNammaGethu #TNPL2025 — TNPL (@TNPremierLeague) June 22, 2025 Earlier this month, Ashwin and Dindigul Dragons were accused of ball-tampreing by Seicham Madurai Panthers. However, the appeal was later withdrawn by the franchise. The Panthers had accused Dragons of tampering with the ball by using towels "treated with chemicals" during a Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) match on June 14 at Salem. "Following due consideration, the management and coaching staff of SMP have decided to withdraw the complaint in the larger interest of the sport and the smooth conduct of the tournament," said Prasanna Kannan, the TNPL CEO. "They have further clarified that the intention behind the complaint was not to bring disrepute to Mr. R. Ashwin, captain of the Dindigul Dragons, the Dindigul Dragons team, the match officials, the TNPL, or the TNCA," he added. Kannan said since the Panthers have decided to withdraw their complaint there would not be any follow-up action on the matter. "In light of this withdrawal, the matter is deemed closed and no further action shall be pursued," he said. Kannan said an internal committee of the TNCA thoroughly reviewed the complaint filed by the Panthers earlier this week, but found no specific evidence. "In accordance with the Operational Rules of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, TNCA reviewed the matter and communicated the procedural steps required for initiating a formal enquiry. "The SMP was accordingly requested to submit specific evidence that would enable the constitution of a commission to examine the matter and determine any further course of action," he added. (With PTI Inputs)
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
WATCH: R Ashwin endures rollercoaster of emotions as Varun Chakravarthy pulls off thrilling victory in TNPL
R Ashwin witnessed his Dindigul Dragons side come through in dramatic fashion in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. (Image: X/Screenshots) Dindigul Dragons secured a thrilling last-ball victory against Salem Spartans in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) on Sunday, as Varun Chakravarthy hit a six and a four in the final two deliveries to achieve a two-wicket win. R Ashwin , who led from the front with both bat and ball, earned the Player of the Match award for his three-wicket haul and quick-fire batting performance. The match came down to the wire in the final over with Dragons needing 11 runs to win. After M Karthik Saran's dismissal on the first ball and a single taken by DT Chandrasekar, Chakravarthy faced a crucial situation. A no-ball followed by a six on the free hit over long-on brought the equation down to one run needed off the last ball, which Chakravarthy dispatched for a boundary. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! R Ashwin played a pivotal role earlier in the innings, contributing a rapid 35 runs off just 14 balls, including five fours and two sixes. The Dragons got off to a strong start, reaching 70 for 2 in the powerplay overs. The middle order saw useful contributions from several batsmen. Shivam Singh made 34 runs from 24 balls, while R K Jayant scored a quick 25 off 15 deliveries. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo Hunny Saini added 35 runs from 28 balls, and Vimal Khumar also played a supporting role before the dramatic final over. In the first innings, after winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Ashwin demonstrated his bowling prowess by taking three crucial wickets while conceding only 22 runs in his four-over spell. He claimed his first wicket in the opening over and later dismissed Sunny Sandhu (25 off 14 balls) and Rajendra Vivek (35 off 20 balls). Salem Spartans posted a competitive total of 188 for 7, largely due to Nidhish Rajagopal's impressive innings of 74 runs from 47 balls. The Spartans' top order struggled to make an impact, but Rajagopal's knock helped them set a challenging target. The victory marked Dindigul Dragons' third win in five matches of TNPL 2025, elevating them to the third position on the points table. The team's upcoming matches against Nellai Royal Kings on June 26 and Trichy Grand Cholas on June 29 will be crucial for their playoff aspirations. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
India Today
23-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
WATCH: R Ashwin emotional after Varun Chakravarthy seals last-ball win in TNPL
Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy held his nerve to help Dindigul Dragons seal a last-ball victory in a heart-stopping finish to a high-scoring Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) clash at the Chennai Super Kings ground on Sunday. Chakravarthy struck a six and a four off the final two deliveries to take the Dragons over the line, sealing a dramatic two-wicket win over SKM Salem 189, the Dragons needed 11 runs from the final over. Pacer M. Poiyamozhi bowled a tidy first four deliveries, even dismissing M Karthik Saran to tilt the game in Salem's favour. With eight required off the last two balls, a costly no-ball undid all the pressure. Chakravarthy launched the free hit over long-on for six, and with the field in, he drove the final delivery past the infield for four to clinch the teammates charged onto the field, Ashwin remained seated in the dugout, visibly emotional, soaking in a victory that had seemed unlikely just moments Chakravarthy delivered a humdinger finish for the Dindigul Dragons! @TNCACricket @DindigulDragons @chakaravarthy29 #TNPL #NammaOoruNammaGethu #TNPL2025 TNPL (@TNPremierLeague) June 22, 2025 Earlier, Ashwin had led from the front. He gave Dindigul a blistering start in the chase with a 14-ball 35, laced with five fours and two sixes, helping his side race to 50 without loss inside 3.2 quickfire cameo proved crucial, particularly as wickets tumbled in the middle overs. Shivam Singh contributed 34 off 24, while R K Jayant (25 off 15), Hunny Saini (35 off 28) and Vimal Khumar chipped in with useful runs to keep the Dragons in the also delivered with the ball, finishing with figures of 3 for 22 from four overs. He struck in his very first over, and later dismissed Sunny Sandhu and Rajendra Vivek, both of whom looked set to shift into bat, Salem Spartans posted a challenging 188 for 7, thanks largely to a composed 74 from 47 balls by Nidhish Rajagopal. Coming in at 13 for 2, Rajagopal held the innings together with six fours and four sixes, before accelerating in the latter added 80 runs in just 42 balls with R Vivek (35 off 20) and became the 18th player in TNPL history to cross the 1,000-run milestone. Despite his efforts, Salem were hampered by a record-breaking spell from Dindigul pacer G Periyasamy, who went wicketless and conceded 70 runs in four overs-the most expensive spell in TNPL 11 runs off the last over, the match looked firmly in Salem's grasp after the first-ball dismissal of Karthik Saran. DT Chandrasekar nudged a single to hand the strike to Chakravarthy, who collected two runs and then watched Poiyamozhi overstep at the worst possible free hit was launched over long-on for a six. With the field inside the circle for the final ball, Chakravarthy kept his cool and drove the ball through the infield to seal the win, capping off an extraordinary victory was Dindigul's third in five matches this season, keeping them in strong contention for the play-offs. Salem, on the other hand, suffered their third defeat in six outings, despite Rajagopal's fine effort.
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Composite Backwardness Index of BCs to be gauged on a scale of Zero to 126
In what could be a paradigm shift in India's approach to social justice, the outcome of the caste survey of the Telangana government is focussing on the backwardness of castes on a scale of 'Zero to 126' independent of their population size. The 11-member Expert Working Group headed by former Supreme Court Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy set up by the government to analyse and interpret data from the caste survey, has come up with a new concept — Composite Backwardness Index (CBI) — to scientifically quantify the backwardness of castes. The foundation of the report is the huge data compiled from over 3.5 crore residents of Telangana responding to 74 questions covering aspects ranging from education and income to housing, landholding, and experiences of discrimination. 'This is a data revolution,' argues Praveen Chakravarthy, Member Convenor of the Expert Committee consisting of social scientists, economists, statisticians and those who understand the soul of Telangana. 'Earlier, it was assumed that larger the population of a social group meant that group was more backward. But now, focus is on, how backward is a caste in real, measurable terms?' he told The Hindu in an interaction. Mr. Chakravarthy, who is one of the architects of the CBI, says it is a first-of-its-kind metric designed and used in the world to objectively evaluate social and economic disparities. Evaluating Telangana's most exhaustive caste-related survey in India's history was a big task, he said, recalling that the landmark Mandal Commission survey conducted in the 1980s covered only 50 lakh people with 11 questions. To identify true indicators of backwardness the committee performed statistical significance tests across the responses shortlisting 42 indicators across nine categories, including education, living conditions, land ownership, income, access to technology, and social discrimination. Respondents answered questions such as: 'Do you face discrimination in temples?'; 'Do your children attend English-medium schools?'; 'Do you own a vehicle, smartphone, or live in a pucca house?' and 'Do you borrow from moneylenders?' each of which fed into a scoring model. Mr. Chakravarthy explained that each caste was ranked on a scale from 0 to 126 points, with the higher the score, the greater the level of backwardness. The data was analysed through quartile distribution, placing every caste into one of four buckets based on their aggregate scores. The report, expected to be submitted to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, in two weeks, will provide rankings for all the 245 surveyed castes. Mr. Chakravarthy feels the government should release the data in an aggregated form for public use, while protecting individual privacy. Independent researchers should use Artificial Intelligence tools to extract deeper insights to build upon the findings. 'Let people challenge it statistically and academically. It's open data self-reported by the people of Telangana,' says Mr. Chakravarthy. The report aims to disentangle caste-based backwardness from general poverty. Poverty is universal. But caste-based poverty is historical, he points out. Can the CBI model be replicated in the caste census that the Government of India announced recently? The model remains effective despite the disparities among BCs given the unique social structure in the respective States. Mr. Chakravarthy summarises that just like the GDP for economic growth or the Sensex for the stock market, the CBI can be a scientific index for social equity.
