Varun Chakravarthy’s performance against key opponents in T20 Internationals has been nothing short of extraordinary, establishing several new bowling records for an Indian spinner in the shortest format of the game.
Varun Chakravarthy T20I Wickets by Opposition
| Opposition | Innings | Wickets | Best Bowling (Innings) | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | 4W/5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 3 | 5 | 2/23 | 16.40 | 6.83 | 14.4 | 0/0 |
| Bangladesh | 4 | 7 | 3/31 | 14.57 | 6.37 | 13.7 | 0/0 |
| England | 5 | 14 | 5/24 | 9.85 | 7.66 | 7.7 | 0/1 |
| Namibia | 1 | 3 | 3/7 | 2.33 | 3.50 | 4.0 | 0/0 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 3 | 3/14 | 4.66 | 4.66 | 6.0 | 0/0 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 4 | 2/37 | 32.75 | 8.18 | 24.0 | 0/0 |
| Pakistan | 5 | 5 | 2/17 | 25.80 | 6.78 | 22.8 | 0/0 |
| Scotland | 1 | 0 | – | – | 5.00 | – | 0/0 |
| South Africa | 8 | 22 | 5/17 | 11.36 | 8.06 | 8.4 | 1/1 |
| Sri Lanka | 4 | 3 | 1/18 | 30.66 | 5.93 | 31.0 | 0/0 |
| U.A.E. | 1 | 1 | 1/4 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 12.0 | 0/0 |
| USA | 1 | 1 | 1/24 | 24.00 | 6.00 | 24.0 | 0/0 |
| Overall | 38 | 68 | 5/17 | 14.52 | 6.98 | 12.4 | 1/2 |
Key Insights on Varun Chakravarthy’s Record T20I Bowling Performances
Dominant Bowling Averages and Strike Rates Against England
Varun Chakravarthy is one of the two Indian bowlers to have an average below 10 against England in T20Is (minimum five innings).
He is the only Indian bowler to have a strike rate of less than 10 against England in T20Is (minimum 100 balls bowled).
Despite a high wicket tally, Chakravarthy’s career T20I economy rate is a remarkable 6.80, which is considered excellent for a primary spinner, highlighting his ability to stifle runs.
Elite Multiple Five-Wicket Hauls in T20I History
Chakravarthy is one of the three Indian bowlers to take a five-wicket haul against two opponents in T20Is.
Chakravarthy’s best bowling figures in T20Is have come against South Africa in Gqeberha in 2024. His 5 for 17 are the joint-best figures for India against South Africa in 20-over cricket. These are also the joint-best figures by an Indian bowler at an opposition’s home. It is also the best bowling T20I figures in a losing cause by an Indian bowler.
His bowling figures of 5 for 24 against England are also the joint-best by an Indian bowler against England in T20Is.
Record-Breaking Wickets in Bilateral T20I Series
Chakravarthy picked up 14 of his wickets against England in the 2025 home series. This is the most wickets by an Indian bowler against a team in a bilateral T20I series.
Chakravarthy is the lone Indian bowler to take more than 10 wickets against two opponents in two bilateral T20I series. His other instance came on the 2024 South Africa tour, where he picked up 12 scalps in four T20Is.
Wickets in ICC T20 World Cups: Chakravarthy has played 3 matches in T20 World Cups, bowling 11.0 overs and conceding 71 runs at an economy rate of 6.45, but has yet to register a wicket in the tournament. See which bowler tops the overall T20 WC wicket-taking list.
Varun Chakravarthy’s Dominance Over Star T20 Batters
Chakravarthy has dismissed Glenn Maxwell for the sixth time in T20s (including IPL and T20Is) in just 9 innings.
Against Maxwell, Chakravarthy boasts a highly dominant T20 average of just 8.33, with the Australian able to score only 50 runs from the 34 balls he has faced from the spinner.
Architect to Mystery Spinner: The Career Path
Before becoming a World No. 1 T20I bowler, Varun Chakravarthy trained and worked as an architect, making his career switch one of the most interesting stories in modern cricket.
Watch the “Kutty Story” of Varun Chakravarthy’s journey from architecture to a professional cricketer:
