Stephen Fleming, head coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), recently opened up about the regret of not being able to buy the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy during the IPL auction. The franchise was keen on having Chakravarthy in their squad after being impressed with his skills during the net practice.
Fleming expressed his disappointment, saying that not being able to retain Chakravarthy still hurts them. He recalled how the spinner troubled CSK batters during their net practice a few years before he made his IPL debut for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 2019. The spinner was eventually bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 4 crore in the next year’s auction after PBKS released him.
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Fleming revealed that they were excited about Chakravarthy’s talent and would have loved to have him in their team. However, the Tamil Nadu players from different teams knew about his skills, and the auction’s unpredictable nature didn’t allow them to retain him.
The former New Zealand skipper also praised the duo of Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, calling them unplayable when the conditions favor them. He noted that Kolkata doesn’t have turning tracks, making conditions in other cities more favorable for spinners like Chakravarthy and Narine.
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Chakravarthy had an impressive season in 2020, where he took 19 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 8.03 and was part of the KKR squad that reached the finals in 2021, finishing with 18 wickets in 11 matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.59.
Overall, Fleming’s comments about Chakravarthy’s talent and the regret of not being able to retain him in their team are a testament to the spinner’s abilities and the unpredictability of the IPL auction. Chakravarthy has certainly proven his worth in the league, and it remains to be seen how he performs in the upcoming seasons.