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Varun Chakravarthy is all set to make a big comeback after recovering from his hamstring injury, and the Indian spinner has a packed few weeks ahead. Varun Chakravarthy is also excited about something he has never experienced before—the Asian Games.
The 35-year-old will travel to Japan for the first time when India takes part in the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. Before the Asian Games 2026, the Men in Blue will play three T20Is against Afghanistan, followed by a historic one-off T20I match against Japan. Amid this, Joe Root gets West Indies legend's backing to overtake Sachin Tendulkar in Test cricket.
Varun Chakravarthy excited for first-ever Asian Games experience
Before his India comeback, Varun Chakravarthy said that he has played ICC and ACC tournaments in his career, but never an event where athletes from so many different sports stay and compete together. That is one of the things he is most excited about.
The Indian spinner wants to meet athletes from different sports and see how they prepare for their events. He is particularly curious to watch the training of a 100-meter runner and a professional badminton player. Amid this, Rohit Sharma’s “Non-Committal?” t-shirt sparks fresh debate over 2027 World Cup future.
Varun Chakravarthy was quoted as saying by the Times of India, “It's my first time in Japan. I've never been to Japan or any games either. I'm very much looking forward to meeting other athletes also from other different sports and all those things. I want to see how a 100-meter athlete prepares himself and how a badminton professional prepares himself or herself.”
Varun Chakravarthy reveals big challenge after hamstring injury
His return has come after a tough injury break. Chakravarthy suffered a Grade 2 injury to his left hamstring during the England T20I series. It was a new experience for him because his previous injuries had mainly happened after collisions or accidents on the field.
This time, the mystery spinner had to deal with a muscle injury and spent a lot of time at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Varun revealed that he did a lot of running and strength training, which helped him, but rebuilding that confidence was a big part of his recovery.
He explained, “This is actually my first ever muscle injury. So, all of my injuries have been impact injuries and other accidents that have happened on the field. The expertise at CoE helped me, and people helped me to gain my confidence. Every person working there helped me.”
The Indian star revealed that he worked on small areas of the game during his injury break. Chakravarthy added, “When you're away, you can start sharpening your skills. You can upskill yourself, which you don't get much time to do when you're playing continuously.”
Varun Chakravarthy reveals why shoes matter so much for spinners
Interestingly, the spinner pays a lot of attention to his shoes too. His association with ASICS officially began in January 2026, but he had already started wearing the brand's shoes around 2022. He said that footwear is especially important for a bowler.
Varun feels spinners need enough room around the toes because the feet move and change shape slightly when they land and turn during the bowling action. He further said that a wider toe area helps with this movement.
He also prefers shoes with good support around the heel while keeping them light, saying the shoes are an important part of staying comfortable and confident during a long spell.
