Varun Chakaravarthy Vinod was born on 29 August 1991 in Bidar, Karnataka, to CV Vinod (an ITS officer with BSNL) and Malini Chakaravarthy, and raised in Chennai. His father has Tamil–Malayali roots, and his mother is a Kannadiga. He attended Kendriya Vidyalaya CLRI followed by St. Patrick’s Anglo Indian in Chennai. Varun earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from SRM University, and worked as a freelance architect—earning as little as ₹600/day—before choosing cricket at age 25.
A knee injury in early 2017 during his time at CromBest Cricket Club forced a switch from seam to spin bowling. This pivot proved decisive, leading to his rise as a “mystery spinner”.
Chakaravarthy’s trademark is his mystery leg‑spin, featuring subtle variations and googlies that confuse batsmen. He stands about 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) tall, right‑handed, with striking grey eyes. Known for his introverted nature, Varun is an avid cat lover, YouTube addict, and occasional short‑film maker. He detests chores like cleaning, except “cleaning up the opposition’s wickets”.
Transitioning from architecture to cricket reflects his adventurous, risk‑taking spirit. Varun thrives on discipline and continuous learning, embodied in his mastering of spin techniques post‑injury.
Varun married his long-time girlfriend, Neha Khedekar, on 11 December 2020 in a private ceremony in Chennai. The couple recently welcomed their first child—a son—adding family joy to his growing acclaim .
His family includes his supportive parents and a sister, Vanditha. He faced a COVID‑19 diagnosis in May 2021, alongside teammate Sandeep Warrier; the match against RCB was postponed due to the outbreak.
Varun’s metamorphosis began in Chennai’s fourth‑division tennis‑ball leagues, initially as a wicket‑keeper/batsman. After shifting to pace and then spin post‑injury, his talent ignited in the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League. He claimed 9 wickets at 4.70 economy for the Madurai Panthers, spearheading their maiden title.
He debuted in List A for Tamil Nadu during the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy on 20 September 2018. The spinner ended as the team’s top wicket‑taker (22 in 9). A month later, he made his first‑class debut in the Ranji Trophy.
In late 2020, Varun received his first India call‑up for Australia T20I, though injury withdrew him. He was named for England T20I in Feb 2021. He finally debuted on 25 July 2021 vs Sri Lanka, taking the wicket of Dasun Shanaka.
Despite modest T20 World Cup 2021 outings, he returned after a near-3‑year Indian hiatus: in October 2024 T20Is vs Bangladesh (3/31) and November 2024 vs South Africa (5/17)—his first T20I five‑for. In 2025, he was player of the series vs England, taking 14 wickets (including 5/24), and made his ODI debut in Cuttack, becoming India’s 2nd oldest ODI debutant at 33 yrs 164 days.
He earned a spot in India’s 15‑man squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, delivering a maiden ODI 5‑for (5/42) vs New Zealand and key wickets in semis and finals. Tanzania finished as joint second-highest wicket‑taker with 9 scalps at 15.11 avg, earning a spot in the ICC “Team of the Tournament”.
2019: Bought by Kings XI Punjab for ₹8.4 crores; debut against KKR saw his first over leak 25 runs .
2020: Picked by Kolkata Knight Riders; immediately took 17 wickets, including a 5/20 vs Delhi Capitals .
2021: Led KKR with 18 wickets in 17 games (avg 24.88, econ 6.58), earning match‑of‑the‑match vs RCB .
2023: Claimed 20 wickets in 14 matches .
2024: Contributed 21 wickets and helped KKR clinch their 3rd IPL title.
Varun’s cricketing pivot followed a knee injury in 2017, redirecting him to spin . In May 2019, a finger injury paused his maiden IPL season .
Multiple national team injuries (2020 Australia, 2021 England) tested his resolve . He overcame all setbacks—COVID-19 in 2021, a long T20I hiatus, and stagnant IPL form—and roared back with stellar performances in late 2024 and early 2025, rebuilding his spot in India’s limited-overs setup with Tudor series and Champions Trophy heroics.
