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A strong performance can change the narrative overnight and that’s exactly what happened with Varun Chakaravarthy. The mystery spinner played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’s first win of the IPL 2026 against Rajasthan Royals, delivering an impressive spell of three wickets for just 14 runs at Eden Gardens.

However, this standout performance comes after a challenging phase. Before this match, Varun Chakaravarthy had picked up only two wickets in four games, with a high average of 69.5 and an expensive economy rate of 10.69. His struggles weren’t limited to the IPL, during the 2026 T20 World Cup, his economy rate jumped from 5.17 in the first three matches to 11.85 in the next four.

Despite the criticism, Varun Chakaravarthy remains confident that his form wasn’t the real issue. He believes the playing conditions, especially the pitch behaviour, played a major role in his underwhelming numbers. According to him, spinners depend heavily on surfaces that offer some assistance and earlier in the season, those conditions simply weren’t there.

He pointed out that high-scoring matches, some crossing 190 runs, made life difficult for all spinners, not just him. Even in the game where he managed two wickets against Gujarat Titans, both the teams scored around 180 runs, highlighting how batter-friendly the pitches were.

Varun Chakaravarthy emphasised that he is very self-critical and regularly reviews his own performance. If there were genuine mistakes, he would have acknowledged them. Instead, he insists that external factors like pitch conditions made the difference.

He also explained how his bowling becomes more effective when the pitch starts to slow down, allowing him to attack the stumps with greater control. On flat pitches, however, even experienced bowlers can appear ineffective or confused, a situation he says happens to “the best of the best”.

His message is clear – judging a player based on a few matches, whether good or bad, doesn’t tell the full story.

The post Varun Chakaravarthy Fires Back At Critics After Stunning Comeback, “Don’t Judge A Player….” appeared first on RVCJ Media.