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Team India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has had a rollercoaster ride in international cricket so far. After impressing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he was picked for the national side in 2021. However, he was dropped soon after owing to fitness concerns.
The mystery spinner worked on his game and made a comeback last year. Since then, Chakravarthy has been spectacular with the ball. He has consistently picked up wickets, thus, cementing his place in India's T20 side.
The 33-year-old, who became a cricketer by accident, has been in excellent form in the ongoing five-match T20I series against England. The off-spinner has already picked up five wickets - the most by a bowler in the series so far.
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Chakravarthy's stellar performances have earned him comparisons with former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. With that being said, let's compare the stats of the two cricketers after 15 T20Is.
Varun Chakravarthy's performance after 15 T20Is
Chakravarthy's stock rose during IPL 2020 and 2021, when he picked up 35 wickets in 30 games, with a best figure of 5/20 against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
Owing to his stellar performances in the IPL, he was named in India's T20I squad for the Sri Lanka tour in 2021. He picked up two wickets in three games but it was enough for him to find a place in India's T20 World Cup squad in the UAE later that year.
However, Chakravarthy faced a sudden downfall in form, returning wicketless in three World Cup games. It also led to his snub from the team, and he only returned to the side in 2024, when he was picked for the Bangladesh series.
Since then, the Tamil Nadu-born cricketer has been in excellent form, picking up wickets in almost every game he has played. He has scalped 22 wickets in nine matches, with a best figure of 5/17 against South Africa in Gqeberha since.
Overall, Chakravarthy has scalped 24 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 16.83 and an economy rate of 6.90.
Ravichandran Ashwin's performance after 15 T20Is
The former India spinner made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in Harare after the 2010 edition of the T20 World Cup in England. The 37-year-old endured a mild start to his T20I career.
Ashwin picked up one wicket each in his first four T20Is before going wicketless in the next two matches. His best figures in the first 15 T20Is came against Pakistan when he returned with 2/16 in a T20 World Cup game in Colombo.
Ravichandran Ashwin scalped 12 wickets in his first 15 T20I matches at an average of 35.91. Overall, he finished his career with 72 scalps in 65 T20Is at an average of 23.22 with a best figure of 4/8 against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam.
Conclusion
Ashwin finished his international career as one of the greatest off-spinners to represent India at the highest level. However, purely based on numbers after the first 15 T20Is, Varun Chakravarthy has had more impact than the legendary spinner.
He will look to keep up the good work going with a home T20 World Cup scheduled to take place next year.
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