Varun Chakraborty humiliated by using Rashid Khan reference
Former Indian cricketer Akash Chopra paid tribute to Varun Chakraborty after his match-winning knock in the first T20I against England in Kolkata. The mystery spinner impressed one and all by finishing with four sales figures on 3/23.
His efforts helped the Indian cricket team bowl out England for 132 before the hosts easily chased down the target, winning the first T20I by seven wickets and taking a 1-0 lead in the ongoing five-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens. In Kolkata on Wednesday 23rd January.
Akash Chopra praises Varun Chakravarty’s transformation as a bowler.
After the match, Akash Chopra revealed the remarkable turnaround in Varun Chakraborty, saying that the mystery spinner will now take on the challenge of bowling in the powerplay with confidence. His ability to slow down the ball in the air and fly it accurately caught the attention of the cricket commentator.
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Taking a dig at Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, the former India batsman said that usually spinners increase their pace under pressure, but Chakraborty remained calm and strong, despite being hit for runs. He emphasized that both spins are different.
Varun Chakravarthy is not Rashid Khan: Aakash Chopra
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Akash Chopra said, “Varun Chakraborty has started bowling in the bowling game ever since he came back. He came and bowled the sixth, and the bowling was unbelievable. What I like the most is that he bowls slowly in the air. He is happy to just fly the ball.
In my opinion pace is a very big indicator because nowadays spinners tend to be faster as soon as they are hit and fast bowlers tend to be slower. If the spinner enters confidently, it will go slower. Unless you’re Rashid Khan, even if you hit for a six, you go slow. His style of bowling is different. It fills up fast. However, Varun Chakraborty is not Rashid.
Apart from that, Varun Chakraborty is a brilliant talent with many tricks, says the analyst. He can bowl leg breaks and googlies which are hard to hit. In the past, batsmen could guess what kind of ball Varun would bowl, and even the spinner would use it to frame short or full balls.
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Akash Chopra says Varun Chakraborty is unpredictable for beats.
However, Varun has now upped his game with length and line as Akash Chopra pointed out that the Indian spinner has shown more control and accuracy over the past couple of years. Cricket pundits added that Varun does not bowl bad balls now.
Chopra pointed out that Chakravarty’s deliveries now start and finish inside the three stumps, and suggested that he can start his deliveries outside the stumps, making it more challenging for batsmen to face.
After winning the man of the match award in Kolkata, Varun revealed that he is trying to make his bowling more unpredictable. To that end, he is increasing variations in the speed at which he delivers the ball, which continues to overuse and make his deliveries a challenge for the batsmen.