Varun Chakravarthy acted in Tamil drama before becoming cricketer

Before becoming a cricketer, Varun Chakravarthy had a brief stint in the Tamil film industry. In 2014, he made a cameo appearance in the Tamil sports drama “Jeeva,” a film that mirrored his real-life journey.

The movie tells the story of a young cricketer from a lower-middle-class background who dreams of playing for the Indian national team. The protagonist, Jeeva, faces numerous obstacles, including societal biases and internal struggles, but ultimately rises above them to achieve his goal.

Varun Chakravarthy’s own journey has striking similarities to the movie. He started playing tennis ball cricket, navigated through various domestic leagues, and eventually made it to the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Indian national team.

It is important to mention here that Varun Chakravarthy dismantled the New Zealand batting lineup and bagged a five-wicket haul to help India beat New Zealand in their final group-stage game.

How many of you know that Varun Chakravarthy has acted in a movie! pic.twitter.com/hnwBqMH72M

— Mukul (@mukuljakhar07) March 4, 2025

The spinner replaced Harshit Rana, what was considered an experiment, in India’s group-stage game against New Zealand.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead earlier labelled India spinner Varun Chakravarthy as the biggest threat in the Champions Trophy 2025 final.

Ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025 final, New Zealand coach Gary Stead said that his side will be wary of the mystery spin offered by India’s Varun Chakravarthy.

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The New Zealand coach was of the view that facing Varun Chakravarthy in daylight would be easier rather than under floodlights.

“I think when you have a wrist-spinner like that, then you’re looking for cues as a batter. And I think it’s always a little bit easier when you’re in the daylight to see those things,” Gary Stead said.