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Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy returned to international cricket for the first time in three years, calling the experience a rebirth. His comeback was the opening match of the three-game T20I series against Bangladesh, which took place on Sunday, October 6, in Gwalior.
Chakaravarthy debuted for India in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in 2021, taking two wickets across three games. He later participated in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but India had a disappointing run and failed to qualify for the semifinals. In that tournament, Chakaravarthy played three matches without taking a single wicket and subsequently did not feature for the national team for three years.
In the 2024 IPL, Varun Chakaravarthy had a remarkable season with the Kolkata Knight Riders, claiming 21 wickets in 15 matches. His impressive performances earned him a call-up for the Bangladesh series, and he made an immediate impact in his first game back, taking three wickets in his four-over spell.
After the match, he expressed his thoughts on returning to the national team in an Instagram post, writing:
“It felt impossible 3 years ago!! Now it feels like a dream, feels like home, feels like rebirth!! One done, two to go!! Thanks for all the support and blessings.”
Meanwhile, the Men in Blue delivered an impressive performance, clinching a convincing seven-wicket victory in the opening match.
“It was emotional for me” - Varun Chakaravarthy on his comeback to the Indian side
Varun Chakaravarthy returned to the Indian team after three years, and during the post-match presentation, he expressed that it was an emotional moment for him.
“After three long years, it was definitely emotional for me. Feels nice to be back in the Blues. It feels like a rebirth, I just want to stick to the process, that's what I have been following in the IPL as well, I don't want to go beyond what's there and I just want to stay in the present, that's why I don't want to think too much or express too much,” he said.
“There have been many (challenges), once you are not in the Indian side, people tend to write you off very easily. You need to stay in the highest level, again and again you need to keep knocking the door, thankfully this time it happened, hopefully I can keep continuing my good work,” Varun added.
The second match of the series will be played in Delhi on Wednesday, October 9.
