Varun: ‘RCB a quality team but we have done our homework’

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may have a new captain and a different-looking coaching staff, but the defending champions can repeat their performance of last season. That’s Varun Chakravarthy‘s view one day before the start of their IPL 2025 campaign, though he remains cognisant of the fact that last season’s success is now in the past.

“We will look to defend [the title] and we have a great squad and great batsmen too,” Varun said on the eve of the tournament opener in Kolkata. “We have added Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Moeen Ali and Roman Powell and we have a great international core this time.

“If you saw last year, we had huge victories and huge losses also in certain matches. Every match is different in the IPL. As experts say, you have to take it as a new tournament and start from scratch.”

Varun, who had the second-most wickets in IPL 2024, said that finding success against Virat Kohli in the tournament opener would give him extra joy. Varun has bowled to Kohli in seven innings so far, containing him successfully with only 40 runs conceded in 39 balls. Kohli has been dismissed only once by Varun though. To change that, Varun says he has done some homework, but it’s not limited to Kohli.

“I’ve done just the same preparation I did last year,” Varun said. “Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat bhai. Obviously, he has batted well against me and I would want to do well against him.

“Anyone at this level, you cannot think of it as an easy opposition. Every team in the IPL is as good as the other one. RCB have a quality team, but we have done our homework. I have done my homework too.”

Varun did not reveal what new he had planned but said he had fresh weapons to unleash. He feels, though, that simply having variations can’t bring success, something he knows from his early days in the IPL with Kings XI Punjab; he said the “sequencing of his deliveries” was more important.

“Whenever I play some domestic, I try to work something new. Every year I try to bowl something new,” Varun said. “Last year it worked out, in seasons before that it didn’t. Obviously, I have a few balls up my sleeve but it will depend on other factors also.

“Basically, the ball can deviate in three ways: left, right or straight. So how I choose those balls, the sequencing of it – that’s where the tactical side of the game comes and that’s what I’m working on.

“Whenever my captain wants me to bowl, I am ready for it. I have bowled in the powerplay, middle and death also. We have a new captain this time and he has spoken to me about where I can be most effective. I have also conveyed that to him.”

Varun is also thrilled to restart his bowling partnership with Sunil Narine. Together, they took 38 wickets last season and were retained ahead of the auction.

“I don’t have to compliment him,” Varun said. “He is a legend of the game. One of the greats of the game. He was the MVP last year also.

“We’ve had a little conversation this year and he looks very well prepared. He looks ready to take on the IPL just like how he did last year. I’m very excited to see him go this year also. Whatever he does, I just look at that and I try to imbibe whatever he does here.”