India’s enigmatic spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, recently shared an amusing anecdote, revealing the extent of his cricket obsession: he carried a cricket ball to his very own wedding reception!
During an appearance on “Breakfast with Champions” with Gaurav Kapur, the 34-year-old confessed that having a ball in hand has become second nature to him. “If you meet me anywhere, at any time of the day, you will likely find a ball with me. I always carry it; I don’t even realize I’ve brought it along,” Varun chuckled.
Varun Chakravarthy revealed a surprising anecdote from the past where he carried a cricket ball to his own wedding reception.
He vividly recounted the memorable moment from his wedding day: “I did that at my reception! I ended up taking the ball onto the stage and then quietly handed it to my brother to take away. If the feel of a cricket ball doesn’t touch my hand, I actually start getting withdrawal symptoms, like something fundamental is missing.”
Interestingly, Varun wasn’t always consumed by cricket. A true late bloomer, he only began pursuing the sport seriously at the age of 26, after exploring various other passions. “Before 26, specifically between 24 and 26, my world revolved around movies. And before 24, my ambition was to become the best architect on the planet,” he explained, reflecting on his diverse early aspirations.
Architecture, filmmaking, and music were just a few of the many interests that captivated him before cricket took over.
Facing age restrictions that barred him from conventional academies, the determined spinner found his mentor in the digital realm. “My true, undeniable guru was YouTube. I meticulously watched hundreds of hours of bowling footage from legends like Sunil Narine, Shahid Afridi, and Rashid Khan. I must have easily watched thousands of hours of Anil Kumble’s bowling. This truly ignited a passion within me,” he shared.
Since his YouTube-fueled transformation, Varun has carved out an impressive career. He boasts 40 wickets in 24 T20 Internationals for India and has taken over 100 wickets in the Indian Premier League, including a title-winning season with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. His journey, from a self-taught enthusiast to one of India’s top T20I bowlers, remains as extraordinary as the man who brought a cricket ball to his wedding stage.