'Went into depression, received threat calls...': Champions Trophy star Varun Chakaravarthy opens up about his dark time

Varun Chakaravarthy played a key role in India's Champions Trophy victory. (Photo: AP)

India's mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has revealed shocking details about his mental health after the cricketer received threat calls following a disappointing show in the 2021 T20 World Cup. In a recent interaction on YouTube, Varun revealed how he got threat calls, got his home tracked down and was even followed from the airport after his poor performance in ICC tournament. The right-arm spinner got selected for World Cup in 2021 after a stellar show in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he could not take a single wicket in the tournament. He has now revealed about the dark time for him and the amount of pressure he faced was too much for him.

Varun revealed the reaction from the fans after the 2021 World Cup was scary but at the same time he also said that he understood that people in India are emotional about cricket.

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"The 2021 World Cup was a dark time for me. I even went into depression then. I came into the team with so much hype, and I did not even get one wicket. After that, I was not even considered for selection for three years," he shared in a podcast with Gobinath on YouTube.

“After the 2021 T20 World Cup, I got threatening calls even before landing in India. They said that if I tried to come to India, I wouldn't be able to. They even tracked down my home and things like that. Coming from the airport, I saw people following me on a bike. But I get that the fans are very emotional."

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Varun has now made a remarkable comeback, delivering a standout performance for India in the recently concluded 2025 Champions Trophy. He played a crucial role in India's title victory, claiming nine wickets in three matches. His performance in the series against England before the Champions Trophy earned him a place in the team after pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to injury. In every game he played for India at the ICC event, he delivered massive blows to the opposition batting lineup in the middle-overs phase. He was simply - sensational.