Varun Chakravarthy goes bold on comparison with Ravichandran Ashwin

India's mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been in sensational form since his return in the national team last year. Chakravarthy recently produced a Player of the Match-winning performance in Kolkata where he finished with incredible bowling figures of 3-23 in 4 overs.

Due to his sudden rise, he has been compared to his former Tamil Nadu teammate Ravichandran Ashwin. Just like Varun Chakravarthy, Ashwin was known for his variations as well. The legendary offspinner retired from all the formats not too long ago.

When asked about the comparisons with Ravichandran Ashwin, Chakravarthy disagreed and felt that he is not even close to him right now. The 33-year-old just wants to work hard and follow the process at the moment.

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Varun Chakravarthy in his comparison with Ravichandran Ashwin

Varun Chakravarthy spoke to the reporters before playing at his home ground at Chepauk. He was excited to play in his home city and also spoke about the prospects of being compared to the legendary Ravichandran Ashwin.

The mystery spinner reckons that the comparison with a player like R Ashwin is too big for him and he just wants to work hard right now. Chakravarthy feels that he is not even close to Ashwin's milestones as the latter has picked up more than 500 Test wickets.

“(Ravichandran) Ashwin has played all three formats. I am just making a comeback. I haven’t reached a stage where I can be compared to him. But still, everybody, when they make it to the Indian team, wants to play for a long time. I am following my process," Chakravarthy said.

"Let the hard work take me where it can. It’s better that way. I am not thinking about filling someone’s shoes. Ashwin’s shoes are too big to fill. He has taken 500-plus Test wickets. I am not even close yet," he added.

Varun Chakravarthy reveals his bowling plans

Varun Chakravarthy revealed his bowling plans and his preparation for a match which are done on the basis of pitch conditions and weather. He claims to do proper research for every batter and reveals the importance of trusting his instincts.

“Initially, the plan will be the same. I will see how they are trying to approach me. It’s all instinctive. Basically, you have certain plans for certain batters, but if they are trying something different, you have to rely on instinct," Chakravarthy explained.

“The first thing is preparation—looking at the batter, understanding their release shots, and checking if they have added a new shot to their repertoire. I definitely do that research. Based on that, and on the pitch conditions, I make certain calculations," he added.

Varun Chakravarthy's incredible numbers in T20Is

Varun Chakravarthy has been outstanding in the T20I format and has re-established himself as an international cricketer. The 33-year-old has picked up 22 wickets in 14 T20Is so far at an average of 16.63 and an economy rate of 6.71.

He made his return to the Indian team after impressive performances in IPL 2024 where he played a key role in KKR's title-winning run. He will be looking forward to playing at his home ground in Chennai during the second T20I against England.