How Varun Chakravarthy's frustrating 3-year wait for India comeback ended due to his ex-KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir?

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Varun Chakravarthy's inclusion was one of the major highlights as the BCCI selectors announced the India squad for three three-match series against Bangladesh on Saturday, September 29.

The 33-year-old is all set to make an India comeback after three years. Varun Chakravarthy, who last played for India in November 2021, made his debut for India in Sri Lanka and played three matches against them before being picked in India's T20 World Cup 2021 squad.

The leg-spinner played in three matches to bowl a total of 11 overs but failed to take any wicket. India lost two of the three matches the three matches he featured as were knocked out of the tournament which was held in the UAE.

One-half of the IPL that year was held in the UAE, and the leg-spinner had finished his campaign with 18 wickets - the joint fifth-highest that season. A lot was expected from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star but, two wickets in six matches was all he could manage.

The 32-year-old Tamil Nadu spinner hasn't been considered for selection ever since. As per the leg-spinner he recovered from a small injury within a few weeks, but continued to get sidelined.

In an interview with CricXtasy earlier this year, Chakravarthy alleged that rumours around his fitness were spread to keep him out of the Indian team.

“It was very tough because right after I finished the World Cup, it was not a big injury; it was a very small injury. It just took me two or three weeks to be back on track, but after that, I got sidelined, and people kept giving the same excuse that I am injured, but on the other hand, I was not injured all that while. I don’t know, [if] it was just a rumour, or someone just wanting to spread this news about me so that they can sideline me. But that’s how life is; it is unfair. It was very hard on me.” Varun had told.

Varun Chakravarthy was also the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024. He picked 21 wickets in 15 matches, but failed to make the cut for T20 World Cup 2024 in spin-friendly West Indies.

He was also ignored for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe after the ICC showpiece event. The selectors picked a bunch of young talents as the tweaker was ignored once again.

Soon after the BCCI announced the team for the Zimbabwe tour, Chakravarthy posted an Instagram Story which read: “I wish I had paid a PR agency.”

Gautam Gambhir's appointment as the head coach of the Indian team in July raised some hopes for the sidelined mystery spinner. He wasn't picked in the squads for the first two white-ball series under Gambhir, but his long wait finally ended on Saturday.

Chakravarthy will join the India T20I squad alongside his KKR teammates Rinku Singh, and Harshit Rana before their three-match assignment against Bangladesh starting October 6 in Gwalior.

Mayank Yadav, who worked closely with Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has also received his maiden India call-up.

Fans have lauded the decision to give Varun Chakravarthy a chance, and credited Gautam Gambhir for 'serving the justice'. The next T20 World Cup in 2026 will be played in India, and Chakravarthy would be looking to capitalise on the rare opportunity and repay the trust shown by India head coach and his former KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir.