"Even Virat Kohli gets questioned; that's the nature of the sport" - Varun Chakaravarthy opens up on 2021 T20 World Cup criticism

Team India's 2021 T20 World Cup campaign brings back several memories, and none of them are particularly fond ones.

Yuzvendra Chahal was dropped just ahead of the tournament, with his replacement Rahul Chahar playing only one game when progress to the semi-final stage was already out of the question.

Mohammed Shami was brought back from the wilderness, only to see himself become the unfortunate victim of an ugly torrent of abuse following an expensive outing against Pakistan.

Varun Chakaravarthy, having played only three T20Is, was thrust into the T20 World Cup fire against Pakistan, New Zealand, and Scotland as a surprise weapon. Unfortunately for the spinner, he had no wickets to show for in the competition, sending down spells of 0/33, 0/23 and 0/15 in the three games.

It wasn't his fault as India just didn't have enough runs to play with in the first two matches and the Scotland game was a convincing win with 81 balls and eight wickets to spare. But Chakaravarthy found himself at the center of the storm, with fans questioning the selectors' decision to baptize him by fire.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Chakaravarthy opened up on whether he felt the criticism he faced following the 2021 T20 World Cup was warranted. Asked whether he could've done anything differently, the 31-year-old alluded to the fact that even the biggest names in the country fall under the scanner when they don't meet expectations.

“It’s okay; everyone gets questioned. Even Virat Kohli gets questioned. If someone has not performed up to expectations, they will come under the scanner and that’s the nature of the sport. I can’t question that. My job is bettering myself day by day. Not at all, there’s nothing I could’ve done differently,” Chakaravarthy told Sportskeeda.

Chakaravarthy was picked for the 2021 T20 World Cup on the back of two productive Indian Premier League seasons for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He returned 17 wickets at an economy rate of 6.84 in IPL 2020 before producing even better results the next year - 18 scalps at 6.58.

However, things went awry for the spinner in IPL 2022, which was played in its entirety in India. Chakaravarthy, retained for ₹8 crore by KKR ahead of the auction, picked up only six wickets over 11 games, with his economy rate shooting up to 8.51. He was even dropped from the side for a while as the Knight Riders desperately tried to inject some momentum into their failing campaign.

Chakaravarthy has since pinpointed the issues behind his indifferent form in IPL 2022.

“The problem which I figured out was that I started to run in a little slower. I didn’t realize that initially, but after I got a break I did realize it. And after that, the ball started coming out better,” he said.

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"Dinesh Karthik has talked to me personally about how to go about things" - Varun Chakaravarthy seeking inspiration for India comeback

Chakaravarthy's former KKR skipper knows a thing or two about inspirational comebacks

Dinesh Karthik knows a thing or two about comebacks. He also knows a thing or two about Chakaravarthy, having been the spinner's pillar of support at KKR as well as on the domestic circuit. Constantly barking out words of advice from behind the stumps, the veteran keeper-batter has played a major role in Chakaravarthy's rise to the top.

Karthik, having been named in India's squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup, has been through it all. He has reinvented himself constantly, making one comeback after the other with his clear thinking and execution. It comes as no surprise, then, that Chakaravarthy is looking to take a leaf out of his former KKR skipper's book.

“He [Dinesh Karthik] is now experienced at making comebacks, and he keeps doing it. His latest comeback is a very solid one, and it’s going to take him a long way in the blue jersey. He has talked to me personally about what to think and how to go about things. It’s definitely more mental than physical right now. If I’m able to align my energies and my thoughts in the right space, I think the doors will open,” Chakaravarthy concluded.

At 31 years old, Chakaravarthy is in the second half of his cricketing career. But he has always been one to turn a blind eye to orthodoxy, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him turn out in the blue jersey in the near future.