Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy is a mystery spinner born on August 29, 1991, in Bidar, Karnataka, and hails from Tamil Nadu. Chakravarthy rose as a mystery spinner who deceived world-class batters in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with his unpickable deliveries.

Despite earning the tag of a late bloomer, the Karnataka-born spinner has created an instant impact with the ball, especially while representing the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL.

Varun Chakravarthy: Along the Years

Varun Chakravarthy Records

• Most wickets for Tamil Nadu in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19 (22)

• Second-most wickets in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19 after Shahbaz Nadeem (JHK)

• Second uncapped player to take a five-wicket haul in IPL after Ankit Rajpoot (KXIP)

• Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2020 (17)

• Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021 (18)

• Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023 (20)

• Joint-highest wicket-taker in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023-24 (19) along with Sai Kishore

• Third-most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders after Sunil Narine and Andre Russell

• Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 (21)

• Most wickets by a spinner in IPL 2024  

• Second-most wickets in IPL 2024 after Harshal Patel (PBKS)

• Most wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders by an Indian in the Indian Premier League (99) 

Varun Chakravarthy Career

Varun Chakravarthy has had a fairy tale story to the top. After nearly giving up on cricket to become a Crorepati twice on the trot, the Karnataka-born mystery spinner has indeed seen a lot in his relatively short career.

Varun Chakravarthy Domestic Career

Varun Chakravarthy made his List-A debut for Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19 on September 20, 2018, and became the leading wicket-taker for his side in the tournament with twenty-two dismissals in nine matches. A month later, the mystery spinner made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 on November 12, 2018, which was also his only match in First-Class cricket. 

However, his ascension to the top began in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he played for Siechem Madurai Panthers in the 2018 season. His superlative bowling ensured that Madurai won its first title that year, and this is where the talent scouts from all over the country first laid their eyes on the spinner.

Varun Chakravarthy IPL Career

After his exploits in the TNPL in the 2018 season, Varun Chakravarthy was the talk of the town, and in the IPL auctions, the then 27-year-old spinner hit the jackpot as Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) shelled a whopping INR 8.4 crore, 42 times his base price of INR 20 lakh to secure his services. However, Chakravarthy played a solitary game for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2019, before a finger fracture sidelined him for a lengthy period.

Chakravarthy had a breakout season in the dusty tracks of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the mystery spinner dished out 17 wickets in 13 games at an economy of a mere 6.84. He also became the second uncapped player to take a five-wicket haul in IPL after Ankit Rajpoot (KXIP), when he registered his career-best figures of 5/20 against the Delhi Capitals. In IPL 2021, the mystery spinner led the Knight Riders to stage a mighty comeback in the second half of the tournament by picking 18 wickets at an economy of 6.58 in 17 matches as the Men in Purple finished as runners-up.

After having a torrid season in IPL 2022, Chakravarthy became the Knight Riders’ trump card yet again as he picked up 20 wickets in IPL 2023 and 21 wickets in IPL 2024. His contribution with the ball was one of the primary reasons for the Knight Riders to clinch their third IPL title, as he finished the season as the second-highest wicket-taker, only behind PBKS’s Harshal Patel. He also became the Knight Riders’ third leading wicket-taker in IPL after veteran Sunil Narine and all-rounder Andre Russell.

Bowling:

Varun Chakravarthy International Career

Varun Chakravarthy has had a brief international career as of September 2025.

Varun Chakravarthy ODI Career

Varun Chakravarthy made his ODI debut against England in February 2025.

Bowling:

Varun Chakravarthy T20I Career

Varun Chakravarthy made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo on July 25, 2021, when a second-string Indian side toured the island nation. He had a decent outing as he registered figures of 1/28 at an economy of 7 and took the wicket of Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka.

Since his debut, Varun Chakravarthy has been in and out of the team as Yuzi Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav were the go-to spinners for the Indian Cricket team. However, he is the number one choice as of September 2025, and he is the number one-ranked T20 bowler in the world as well.

Bowling:

Varun Chakravarthy Family

Chakravarthy’s father, Vinod Chakravarthy, works as a Chief General Manager at the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, and his mother, Malini, is a homemaker. He married his long-time girlfriend, Neha Khedekar, on December 11, 2020. The couple is blessed with a son named Aathman. He also has a sister named Vanditha Chakravarthy.

Varun Chakravarthy Salary

After being retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders, Varun Chakravarthy received ₹12 crore for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Varun Chakravarthy received his first-ever Grade C contract when he was added to the BCCI's annual central contract list for the 2024–25 season. His impressive return to international cricket in 2024 and his impressive domestic accomplishments have led to his inclusion. He will receive an annual salary of about ₹1 crore as a Grade C player.