Despite rising to No.1 in T20I rankings after a stellar comeback, Varun Chakravarthy humbly refuses the title, citing chess champ D Gukesh and naming players like Jasprit Bumrah as the true number ones. He is set to feature in the Australia T20Is.
Team India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has humbly refused to accept his No.1 ranking in the ICC T20I Bowlers’ Rankings. Chakravarthy, who was part of India’s Asia Cup 2025 winning campaign, made a brilliant comeback to international cricket after a gap of three years in the T20I series against Bangladesh in October last year.
Since then, the 34-year-old has been unstoppable, delivering exceptional performances that have solidified his position as one of the premier T20I bowlers globally. Varun Chakravarthy played a pivotal role in India’s success at the Champions Trophy this year, where he was India’s highest wicket-taker with nine wickets, including a fifer, at an average of 15.11 in three matches.
Since his international comeback, Varun Chakravarthy has taken 38 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls, at an average of 12.94 in 18 matches. In ODIs, the Tamil Nadu bowler picked 10 wickets at an average of 19 in four matches.
‘Still some time to go before I can reach that stage’
Following his performance in the Asia Cup 2025 matches against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan, Varun Chakravarthy moved to the top of the ICC Men’s T20I Bowlers’ Rankings. At the end of the Asia Cup 2025, Chakravarthy achieved his career-best rating of 803 points after the high-stakes final against Pakistan in Dubai.
However, the mystery spinner has refused to consider himself the No.1 T20I bowler at the moment. Speaking to Gaurav Kapur on his show Breakfast with Champions, Chakravarthy cited a statement by reigning world chess champion D Gukesh on the difference between being ranked No.1 and truly being No.1.
“I follow chess now. When Gukesh won the championship, he told I might be the World Champion right now, but everyone knows Magnus Carlsen is the number one player,” the 34-year-old said.
“So I might be ranked number one, but the number one is always Jasprit Bumrah. There are Sunil Narine, Rashid Khan. I am doing well, but still some time to go before I can reach that stage,” he added.
Varun Chakravarthy’s remarkable comeback to international cricket has not only reinstated him as a key strike bowler for Team India but also showcased his resilience, humility, and focus on continuous improvement, earning him respect on and off the field.
Following his impressive performance in the IPL 2024, where he picked 21 wickets, Varun Chakravarthy earned back his place in the Indian T20I team, proving his skill, consistency, and ability to perform under pressure, making him an indispensable asset for the Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.
Varun Chakravarthy to return for T20I series against Australia
Varun Chakravarthy will return to action for the T20I series against Australia, which will begin on October 29. In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, who retired from T20Is last year, Chakravarthy is expected to lead the spin attack alongside Kuldeep Yadav.
Chakravarthy has not faced Australia in T20Is, but is expected to pose a threat to the opponent’s batting line-up with his mystery spin, clever variations, and knack for taking crucial wickets at key moments. The 34-year-old has already made a mark in the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup this year and is expected to be a key wicket-taking threat for India against Australia.
Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy is in the plans for the next year’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March, and is expected to play a central role in India’s spin bowling attack.