Former World Number 1 T20I bowler Varun Chakraborty is set to make his return to the field for the T20I series against Afghanistan. The 35-year-old was the joint highest wicket-taker in the 2026 T20 World Cup with 14 scalps alongside Jasprit Bumrah and helped India retain their title successfully.
Speaking to TOI, the 35-year-old said that he still has a long way to go in his career. “I still feel I’m in the first stage of my career because I started very late, so there’s a long way to go.” The mystery spinner is coming back to the field after suffering an injury during the tour of England.
Chakravarthy was injured during the IPL 2026 while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders and missed the tour of Ireland. He will play the series against Afghanistan and will also be part of the side for the upcoming Asian Games 2026.
“This was my first-ever muscle injury. Others have been impact injuries or niggles. The time at CoE helped me to regain my confidence, and the rehab was relentless.
Varun Chakravarthy's T20I career so far
Having played a key role for KKR in IPL 2021, the Chennai-based spinner was given his maiden India call-up in 2021 during the Sri Lankan tour. He bowled four overs for 28 runs and got the wicket of Dasun Shanaka for 16.
The spinner didn’t have a great time with the ball in IPL 2022, claiming just six wickets from 11 games. But the next three seasons saw him pick up 58 wickets from 42 games.
He was recalled to the side for the home series against Bangladesh. The right-arm spinner picked up five wickets and another 12 wickets during the tour of South Africa, with a best of 5/17 in Gqeberha.
In 2025, the bowler took 36 wickets and was the joint highest wicket-taker along with Mohammad Nawaz of Pakistan by a full-member side. Varun grabbed his second T20I fifer against England in Rajkot and also took seven wickets in the victorious Asia Cup 2025 campaign.
2026 has seen India’s spin sensation struggle with loss of form and fitness issues, but he has managed to pick up 19 wickets from 15 games, with a best of 3/7 against Namibia. Varun Chakravarthy has so far played 48 T20I games and claimed 74 wickets and is ranked eighth in the list for most wickets by an Indian bowler.