"I didn't label myself a mystery spinner; it just got stuck from the media" - Varun Chakaravarthy calm amidst the chaos

Ravichandran Ashwin has become something of an authority on cricket. Thinking cricketers like him simply seem to know far more about the game than the naked eye commonly presents; they can read between the lines. And if Ashwin says that the labels spinners are put under need to be questioned, they need to be questioned.

Ashwin has spoken about how he doesn't necessarily consider himself an off-spinner. He's also spoken about how finger-spinners need to be given the same leeway as wrist-spinners when it comes to economy rate. Dinesh Karthik has come out and claimed that Ashwin is somewhere between a finger-spinner and a mystery spinner.

But what makes a bowler a mystery spinner? There's no consistency among opinions. Is Rashid Khan a mystery spinner? Or is he just a leg-spinner with a googly that is impossible to read? Is Sunil Narine a mystery spinner? Is Narine's Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Varun Chakaravarthy a mystery spinner?

Most of the cricketing fraternity think so. But in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Varun Chakaravarthy himself debunked the "mystery spinner" myth in typically calm fashion.

“I’m basically a leggie who has other variations. I bowl a little quicker than the others. I didn’t label myself a ‘mystery spinner’; it just got stuck from the media. That’s how it happened. Yes, I’m someone who disguises his variations well but I don’t really consider myself a ‘mystery spinner’.”

For a bowler of Chakaravarthy's style and role, constantly adapting to new situations is imperative. He needs to be on his toes to stay relevant in a format as fickle as T20 cricket and is aware of the adjustments he needs to make on a regular basis.

“It’s more about your mindset and believing in yourself that you can be one step ahead of the batters. You don’t need to constantly think about adding variations; you just need to think about how to outthink the batters. That’s one way you can be a step ahead of the curve. That’s what I tend to do.”

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"I didn't really know I'd be retained at the start" - Varun Chakaravarthy on KKR's faith in him ahead of IPL 2022

Varun Chakaravarthy was retained for INR 8 crore by the KKR management ahead of IPL 2022

If there's one thing KKR are renowned for, it's the faith they show in their players. Andre Russell and Narine have been the beneficiaries of the franchise's unwavering belief in their marquee picks through thick and thin. More recently, Varun Chakaravarthy and Venkatesh Iyer joined the list, retained for good money ahead of the 2022 Indian Premier League auction.

Chakaravarthy's bond with KKR transcends IPL finals appearances and lucrative contracts.

“KKR is a wonderful team run by wonderful people. There are people like Venky Mysore, Abhishek Nayar, the owners - they’re all cricket lovers and enthusiasts who understand cricket at its core. They know what’s needed and what’s not needed; what has to be said and what shouldn’t be said. They back us also, of course. Wonderful team and wonderful management.”

Ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, KKR had some tough calls to make. Apart from Russell, Narine, Iyer and Chakaravarthy, names like Rahul Tripathi and Shubman Gill had genuine cases to be retained by the franchise.

But they eventually went with the unique skillset Chakaravarthy offers, keeping his services for INR 8 crore. The 31-year-old shed light on the process followed by the KKR management, explaining how Venky Mysore and Co. conveyed their interest in holding on to their star performer.

“There wasn’t much talk. I was also waiting for things to be released in the media. I did get a call from Venky Mysore in which he explained a few things, like the dynamics of retention and what they think of me. I didn’t really know I’d be retained at the start, but later on they told me that I’d be there and it was a good piece of news.”

Chakaravarthy didn't have a great IPL 2022 campaign, scalping only six wickets and even falling out of the playing XI at one point. He has his eyes on the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the next edition of the IPL to boost his chances of making a comeback to the Indian side.