I have not yet reached the level to be compared with Ravichandran Ashwin: Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy didn't have a great time during his first stint with the Indian team when he played in the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, since his comeback in the series against Bangladesh last year, the mystery spinner has picked up 20 wickets from eight matches at an average of 11.70.

Some people have started drawing comparisons with Chakravarthy's former Tamil Nadu teammate Ravichandran Ashwin. However, the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner said that he hasn't reached anywhere near the legendary off-spinner's level. Chakravarthy pointed out that Ashwin has done well for India in all three formats, whereas he is just making a comeback to the T20 setup.

"Comparing him to me is big. Ashwin has played all three formats. I am just making a comeback. I haven't reached a stage where I can be compared to him. But still, everybody, when they make it to the Indian team, wants to play for a long time. I am following my process. Let the hard work take me where it can. It's better that way. I am not thinking about filling someone's shoes. Ashwin's shoes are big to fill. He has taken 500-plus Test wickets. I am not even close yet," Varun said on the eve of the second T20I in Chennai.

I would really suggest everyone go and play the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Varun Chakravarthy

Chakravarthy urged his fellow players to participate in tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as it can help them hone their skills. He admitted that the domestic T20 competition has helped him improve his craft.

"The level of domestic cricket is extremely high. It's almost as good as the IPL. I would really suggest everyone go and play the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. We play on small grounds, and it's very challenging. Even I find it very challenging to play SMAT. It has definitely helped me improve, stay on my toes, and think at the right moment," Varun said.

Chakravarthy revealed his bowling plans, saying that he tries to gauge how the batters are approaching him first. When he sees the batters trying something different, he relies on his instincts to thrive.

"Initially, the plan will be the same. I will see how they are trying to approach me. It's all instinctive. Basically, you have certain plans for certain batters, but if they are trying something different, you have to rely on instinct," Varun said.

"The first thing is preparation—looking at the batter, understanding their release shots, and checking if they have added a new shot to their repertoire. I definitely do that research. Based on that, and on the pitch conditions, I make certain calculations. Some shots work on certain pitches, while others don’t. So I plan accordingly," he concluded.

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Chakravarthy won the Player of the Match in the first T20I against England after bagging a three-for. He will look to continue his dream run in the second game on Saturday, January 25, at his home ground - MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.