IPL 2021: Deep Dasgupta explains why Varun Chakravarthy is so difficult to bat against

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta reckons that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy is difficult to play because he bowls quick and straight and is always at the batter.

Chakravarthy (3/13) was the standout performer as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pulverized Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). KKR defeated the RCB by nine wickets in match 31 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) on Monday in Abu Dhabi.

Analyzing Chakravarthy’s splendid effort against the RCB, Dasgupta pointed out the qualities that make the leggie a tough proposition for batters in T20 cricket.

“The areas that he bowled (very really good). He was bowling quick, he kept it very straight and was attacking the stumps. Obviously, he has that mystery angle to his bowling. It is difficult to pick whether it is going to be an off-spinner or a leg-spinner.

As long as you are attacking the stumps, you are keeping the batsmen under pressure. At the pace that he bowls, it is not easy to step out or sweep him because he bowls quick,” Dasgupta said during an interaction on ESPN Cricinfo.

Chakravarthy cleaned up a struggling Glenn Maxwell (10) with one that drifted in and skidded through. Sachin Baby (7) perished to a googly while Wanindu Hasaranga (0) was trapped in front by one that came in sharply.

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“Lot of communication between DK and Chakravarthy in Tamil” - Dasgupta

Although he wasn’t sure about it, Dasgupta feels that having Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps perhaps helps Chakravarthy. He pointed out that the two often converse in Tamil.

“It is also interesting to see that there’s a lot of communication between DK (Dinesh Karthik) and Varun Chakravarthy in Tamil. It's almost on the same lines as Kuldeep Yadav/ Yuzvendra Chahal and MS Dhoni. It is important to understand, may be that plays a role too in him doing so well when he has DK behind the stumps,” the former cricket added.

Apart from Chakravarthy, KKR all-rounder Andre Russell also starred with the ball. The West Indian ended with superb figures of three for nine, his scalps including the big one of AB de Villiers with an unplayable yorker.

After KKR restricted RCB to 92 all out in 19 overs, openers Shubman Gill (48 off 34) and Venkatesh Iyer (41 not out off 27) featured in a dazzling opening stand of 82. KKR needed only 10 overs to romp home in the breezy chase.