Varun Chakaravarthy's Comeback Cut Short by Injury
Varun Chakaravarthy’s comeback has lasted just one match.
After two months of recovery and rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, the 35-year-old has broken down again and has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan. His participation in the Asian Games now hangs by a thread.
From “back to his best” to back on the plane
On Sunday night at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, it briefly felt like the old Varun was back. He sent down his full quota of four overs, looked in rhythm, and for long stretches suffocated Afghanistan’s batters. The only real blot: two no-balls. Even with those, he walked off with figures of 1 for 16 – the sort of spell that usually cements, not threatens, a place.
Behind the scenes, the story shifted quickly.
After the game, Chakaravarthy complained of a side strain. The team management did not wait around. He has been released from the squad and will fly to Bengaluru on Wednesday to consult the CoE medical staff who oversaw his recent rehabilitation.
Scans await him there. So does a decision that could define his season.
Asian Games race against time
On paper, there is still a chance. In reality, the clock is brutal.
India’s squad is scheduled to leave New Delhi for Japan on September 18. Before their Asian Games campaign begins, they are slated to play a bilateral game against the hosts on September 22. The main event starts for India on September 28, when they play their first match of the Games.
That leaves less than a week before departure for the CoE to assess the damage, run scans, and clear him – if clearance is even possible. Cricbuzz understands that the CoE managers will only make a call after detailed reports, but the window is shrinking by the hour.
A comeback cut short
This setback comes at the end of what was supposed to be a carefully managed return. Chakaravarthy had pulled out midway through the T20I series in England in July with a hamstring injury and then missed the tour of Zimbabwe. He spent close to two months at the CoE in Bengaluru, working his way back to what was deemed full fitness.
On that basis, he earned a recall for the Afghanistan series and a spot in the Asian Games squad. Sunday night’s spell in New Delhi appeared to vindicate those decisions. His body has offered a harsh counter-argument.
Ironically, after that game he spoke with calm acceptance about the realities of a professional career. Injuries, he said, are “very common for all sportspeople” and a sign that athletes are pushing themselves to the limit. Sometimes, he added, you go beyond that limit and the body gives in. Then you step back, work better, and come back stronger.
He now faces the prospect of living that philosophy all over again, just when it felt like he had already done his time.
