Mumbai: Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) star spinner Varun Chakravarthy, in an exclusive conversation on JioHotstar’s special show ‘Gen Bold’, shared his thoughts on his TATA IPL journey, handling expectations, and his dynamic partnership with Sunil Narine. He reflected on his learnings from KKR’s championship-winning TATA IPL 2024 campaign and ambitions for this season.
On Learning from TATA IPL 2024 Victory
Speaking exclusively on JioHotstar’s special show ‘Gen Bold’, Varun Chakravarthy shared a key lesson from KKR’s TATA IPL 2024 title-winning season:
“The lesson is that you can have a great previous tournament, but again you have to start from scratch. That’s what cricket teaches you. You can have fantastic two or three tournaments, but in the next one, you have to start from zero. So, that’s what I’m preparing for—starting from scratch.”
On Handling High-Pressure Moments
Discussing his approach to critical in-game situations, Chakravarthy shared the wisdom gained from playing high-pressure matches.
“What I have learned till now is to just keep things very simple—don’t try to do something very different, don’t try to bowl a magic ball or create a magic moment. The most impactful thing you can do is stick to your basics, do them well, and execute them properly.”
On Balancing Expectations & Staying Focused
As one of KKR’s key bowlers, Varun spoke about managing the expectations that come with TATA IPL cricket.
“Expectations have always been there from the first game I played, and it’s not just for me—it’s for every cricketer in the TATA IPL. That’s how it is; it’s part and parcel of playing competitive cricket. So, you just need to focus on your process and not think too far ahead.”
On His Partnership with Sunil Narine
One of KKR’s strongest bowling duos, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, have developed a strong understanding over the years. Varun acknowledged Narine’s impact on his growth at KKR.
“Now that I’ve played five years alongside him—this is my sixth year with him—we don’t need to communicate as much anymore. He doesn’t have to spoon-feed me. Whatever I can learn, I can just observe what he is doing. Of course, if I have doubts, I always go up to him and talk to him. We have always bowled well in tandem, and he has been the most valuable player in T20 cricket from the very beginning. Even this year, he will be the MVP.”
On the Wickets He Wants to Take This Season
Asked about the batters he would most like to dismiss in TATA IPL 2025, Varun named some of the top T20 stars.
“Definitely any batsman who is in great form. Players like Heinrich Klaasen, Nicholas Pooran, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav—these guys are all the star players. I would be very happy if I could pick their wickets.”
