Varun Chakravarthy, KKR
Varun Chakravarthy (Image: KKR)

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels that leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy will feel a different level of pressure when he plays in the T20 World Cup next month.

Chakravarthy was impressive on Monday as he outsmarted Royal Challengers Bangalore with a magnificent spell of 3/13. The leg-spinner got back to back wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Wanindu Hasaranga in the 12th over.

Chakravarthy crashed into Maxwell’s stumps and turned the next ball inside to trap Hasaranga before the wicket.

Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy. (Photo: BCCI)

The spinner was very close to bag a hat-trick after almost beating Kyle Jamieson with another turner, there was a loud shout for lbw and the bowler wanted to send it to the third umpire but KKR skipper Eoin Morgan denied it.

The dynamics are slightly different in the IPL: Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan feels Chakravarthy, who is part of India’s 15-member squad, will be a key player for India in the T20 World Cup but also cited that there will be a different pressure around him in the mega event.

“He can be a huge X-factor. You have not played him in international cricket, you have definitely played him in the IPL but the dynamics are slightly different in the IPL. When you play him in the World Cup after playing him in the IPL, it will still be different, the World Cup pressure will be different and the mystery will remain,” Pathan said on Star Sports.

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Varun Chakravarthy can bowl a surprise delivery just like Zaheer Khan did in the 2011 World Cup: Irfan Pathan

Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup, the left-arm seamer picked 21 wickets from nine matches.

Irfan Pathan noted the way Zaheer used his knuckleball to dismantle the opposition batters, Chakravarthy can similarly use his special ball to trouble the batsmen on the field.

Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan (Image Credit: Twitter)

“If you remember the 2011 World Cup, Zaheer Khan started using the knuckleball in the World Cup and not before that. That was a surprise delivery. So, the surprise factor is definitely beneficial when you play a new thing or bowler. Something similar can happen for Varun Chakravarthy,” Pathan said.

KKR won by nine wickets against RCB and moved to the fifth spot in the points table with a net run rate of +0.110.

Also Read: IPL 2021: Got A Sense Of Acceptance From People Around Me – Varun Chakravarthy