Latest news with #VarunChakravarthy
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Star player from Shah Rukh Khan's KKR worked in movies for only Rs 600, his IPL salary is Rs... in IPL, name is...
Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan is owner of Kolkata Knight Riders franchise in IPL. KKR have won the IPL title three times. Varun Chakravarthy was retained for Rs 12 crore by Shah Rukh Khan's KKR ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Varun Chakravarthy has claimed 100 wickets in IPL in 83 matches till dates. Varun claimed 17 wickets in 13 matches in the IPL 2025 season. Image credit: Source: Instagram Varun Chakravarthy is a qualified architect. He eventually left the profession in pursuit of music, only to return to architecture later by launching his own firm. Unfortunately, he lost all his savings when Cyclone Vardha hit. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Varun Chakravarthy worked as a background artist in movies for Rs 600. "Some of my friends were part of the film industry, and I started seeing a lot of movies and accompanying them to shoots to observe what was happening. I started talking to the guys, and I came to know that they are shooting for a movie called Jeeva in many cricket grounds. I went there with the intention of becoming an Assistant Director, but that didn't work out. I couldn't even make a proper pitch. Then one of the ADs asked me if I played cricket. I said, 'Only tennis-ball cricket.' So then I got to act in this movie, where I was signed as a junior artist with a salary of INR 600 per day. And that was pretty helpful at that time," Varun told R Ashwin on a podcast. Varun Chakravarthy has been part of KKR since IPL 2020 season. Before that he played one season for Punjab Kings in 2019 but turned out in only 1 match. Varun Chakravarthy has claimed 33 wickets in T20Is for Team India in just 18 matches at an amazing average of 14.57. He has also claimed 10 wickets in 4 ODI matches.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
India Star Informs R Ashwin Of Stunning Pay Rise Of 4200% In Cricket, In Movies He Only Earned Rs...
It isn't the easiest to make it big in Indian cricket. The competition remains the most fierce, in comparison to any country in the world, with talented aspiring cricketers knocking doors at all levels of the game. The situation is such that many get to play only a handful of games, while some don't get to make their debuts at all. That's what makes the story of Varun Chakravarthy, arguably India's finest spinner in white-ball cricket at present, an interesting one. Varun, who is already 33 years old, only made his international debut 4 years ago. While the mystery spinner has gone on to cement a spot for himself in India's T20 World Cup and ODI teams, cricket wasn't always seen as a 'career' by him. Varun, in a chat with former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, revealed that he initially worked in an architectural company, acted in a movie, and even directed a few short films. "Right after I completed college, I was working in an architectural company for one and a half years as an assistant architect. I started with around 14k a month, and it was 18k around the time I left. After I left that job, for a brief stint, I took up guitar as I wanted to rekindle my love for music. But soon I realised that if you want to pursue some art, the love has to come from within. If your goal is to please others or get attention from others, it is never going to work out. I was never able to practice guitar for more than an hour. I realised it only after 6-8 months, and then I decided to stop. Then I decided to start my own firm in interior design and construction. It went well for a year until Cyclone Vardha happened, and I lost all my investment. So that ended as well. I was around 24-25 then," he said in a candid interview. While Varun's intent was to make it as an Assistant Director, the fact that he played tennis-ball cricket earned him a junior artist's role in a movie for a salary of Rs 600 per day. "Some of my friends were part of the film industry, and I started seeing a lot of movies and accompanying them to shoots to observe what was happening. I started talking to the guys, and I came to know that they are shooting for a movie called Jeeva in many cricket grounds. I went there with the intention of becoming an Assistant Director, but that didn't work out. I couldn't even make a proper pitch. Then one of the ADs asked me if I played cricket. I said, 'Only tennis-ball cricket.' So then I got to act in this movie, where I was signed as a junior artist with a salary of INR 600 per day. And that was pretty helpful at that time," he said. Varun was also asked about his daily allowance by Ashwin, as an Indian cricketer at present. He said it was USD 300 (INR 25652.78), which translates to a pay rise of roughly 4200 percent. "The shoot went for 20 days, and I liked the entire process. Then I started writing a few stories, scripts, but when I pitched to a few guys, I realised that I was getting the emotions right, but I wasn't able to translate them as a screenplay. I directed a few short films."
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Varun Chakaravarthy - Varun Chakaravarthy Career Info, Achievements, ICC Ranking along with Records & Stats
Leg break googly Bowler 'Mystery' is a word that always brings a sense of excitement with it. In cricket too, mystery bowlers over the years have brought with them a sense of anticipation and thrill among the cricketing fraternity. The same gusto was seen in Indian cricketing circles when Varun Chakravarthy started making inroads in Indian cricket as a mystery spinner. Varun started his cricket journey as a wicketkeeper batter but left cricket to concentrate on his studies in college. He completed the Architecture degree and started working as a freelance Architect after that. During this time, Varun was playing tennis-ball cricket, and eventually, at the age of 25, he decided to quit his job to pursue a career as a professional cricketer. Chakravarthy then joined CromBest Cricket Club as a seam-bowling all-rounder, but a knee injury forced him to eventually become a spinner. The move turned out to be a masterstroke as he started making all the right noises as a mystery spinner in 2017-18 when he picked 31 wickets in seven games in a one-day competition for Jubilee Cricket Club. Playing in the fourth division of the Chennai League, Varun started working on his variations and slowly started moving up through the ranks of Tamil Nadu Cricket. He came into the spotlight during the 2018 Tamil Nadu T20 League as he played a major role in Madurai clinching the title that year. It turned out to be a breakthrough season for the young spinner as Varun got an opportunity to bowl as a net bowler for the Chennai and Kolkata franchises in the Indian Premier League. He finally caught the eyes of Tamil Nadu selectors and made his List A debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He was the leading wicket-taker for Tamil Nadu that season as he picked 22 wickets in 9 games. He also made his first-class debut against Hyderabad in the 2018-19 season of the Ranji Trophy. Ahead of the 2019 season of the Indian Premier League, Varun Chakravarthy was bought by Punjab, and he made his debut against Kolkata in the 2019 edition of the tournament. He had the worst possible start as he was hammered for 25 runs in his first over. Varun, though, was still rated highly and was selected by Kolkata for the 2020 edition of the IPL. He straightaway made an impact and picked 17 wickets in the tournament and was so impressive that he received his maiden India call-up for the Australia tour in the same year. He was later ruled out due to an injury but was selected again for the England series but was again left out due to fitness concerns. He finally made his T20I debut for India against Sri Lanka in 2021 and was later included in the Indian squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 2021, on the back of another successful Indian Premier League season where he picked 18 wickets. Varun came into the marquee event with high hopes, but his performance was below par, and he went wicketless in the three games he played. India crashed out of the World Cup in the Super 12 stage, and Chakravarthy was also left out of the Indian squad. The 2022 season of the Indian Premier League also did not go according to the plans, as he picked up only 6 wickets in the 11 games he played. From 2023, it was as if the start of Varun 2.0, as the mystery spinner emerged as a completely different bowler and rediscovered himself. Even though Kolkata failed to make the playoffs that season, Varun stood out with 20 wickets in 14 games. He followed it up with another stellar campaign in 2024, claiming 21 wickets in Kolkata's title-winning run. Back-to-back remarkable IPL seasons earned Varun a return to the Indian side in 2024 for the first time since 2021. In his comeback series against Bangladesh, it took him some time to hit his stride, but in South Africa and then against England, he had the batters dancing to his tunes. With 14 wickets at home against England, he picked up his first Player of the Series award at the international level. This paved the way for his ODI debut in the series that followed, and he was subsequently drafted into India's Champions Trophy squad as a late addition. …read more Varun Chakaravarthy Ranking Batting 431 ODI 1228 T20 Bowling 84 ODI 3 T20 Varun Chakaravarthy Statistics Debut India vs England on Feb 09, 2025 Last India vs New Zealand on Mar 09, 2025 Debut India vs Sri Lanka on Jul 25, 2021 Last India vs England on Feb 02, 2025 Debut Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders on Mar 27, 2019 Last Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings on May 07, 2025 Varun Chakaravarthy Batting Records Highest Runs Balls Faced 0 On Date Feb 09, 25 Against ENG Varun Chakaravarthy Bowling Records Mat O W Avg S/R Eco 4 40 10 19.00 24.00 4.75 Wickets Taken 5 Runs 42 On Date Mar 02, 25 Against NZ Varun Chakaravarthy Batting Records Mat R 50s 100s Avg S/R 18 1 0 0 0.50 16.66 Highest Runs 1 Balls Faced 2 On Date Jan 28, 25 Against ENG Varun Chakaravarthy Bowling Records Mat O W Avg S/R Eco 18 68.3 33 14.57 12.45 7.02 Wickets Taken 5 Runs 17 On Date Nov 10, 24 Against SA Varun Chakaravarthy Fielding Records Catches Stumpings Run Outs 3 0 0 Mat: Matches, R: Runs, W: Wickets, O: Overs, S/R: Strike Rate, Eco: Economy Rate, Avg: Average Varun Chakaravarthy Batting Records Mat R 50s 100s Avg S/R 83 26 0 0 6.50 55.31 Highest Runs 10 Balls Faced 16 On Date Mar 30, 22 Against RCB Varun Chakaravarthy Bowling Records Mat O W Avg S/R Eco 83 311.4 100 23.31 18.70 7.47 Wickets Taken 5 Runs 20 On Date Oct 24, 20 Against DC Varun Chakaravarthy Fielding Records Catches Stumpings Run Outs 16 0 2 Mat: Matches, R: Runs, W: Wickets, O: Overs, S/R: Strike Rate, Eco: Economy Rate, Avg: Average
NDTV
24-06-2025
- 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
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Controversy avoided! R Ashwin, team cleared of ball-tampering allegations in TNPL
R Ashwin and Varun Chakravarthy celebrates a wicket in TNPL. Former India cricketer R Ashwin has been cleared of ball-tampering allegations in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Ashwin-led Dindigul Dragons had been accused of tampering with the ball during their match against Siechem Madurai Panthers. The Madurai franchise alleged that Dindigul tampered with the ball by using towels treated with chemicals during their game in Salem on June 14. In that match, played at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground, the Dragons defeated the Panthers by nine wickets. Batting first, the Panthers posted 150 for 8 in 20 overs. Ashwin went wicketless but conceded only 27 runs in his four overs. However, he made an impact with the bat, scoring 49 off 29 balls as an opener, helping the Dragons chase down the target in just 12.3 overs. In a letter to TNPL, Madurai franchise COO S Mahesh wrote: 'A serious case of ball tampering occurred during our recent match against Dindigul Dragons. Despite repeated warnings, the Dindigul team blatantly tampered with the ball, using towels that appeared to have been treated with chemicals.' Madurai coach Shijit Chandran added: 'The ball's condition deteriorated rapidly during our innings, affecting our batsmen's performance. You could hear the sound of every shot our batters played after the powerplay — as if they were hitting hard stone instead of a cricket ball. "We believe the Dindigul Dragons team used foreign substances to alter the ball's condition, including special towels with pre-applied roughening agents. This is unacceptable, against the spirit of the game, and amounts to cheating.' However, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) said it found no evidence of ball tampering during the game. R Ashwin announces retirement from Test cricket 'The towels in question were TNCA-issued and equally available to both teams,' TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan said in a statement. 'The Playing Control Team — including umpires and the match referee — maintained full oversight of the ball throughout the match. No concerns were raised during play, and no verifiable evidence has been provided. The claims appear speculative and post-facto in nature.' The towels were provided by the state cricket association to wipe the ball if it got wet. The drying was done in the presence of the on-field umpires. Therefore, the TNPL asked the Panthers to submit proof at the earliest to 'substantiate' their allegations.
