Varun Chakravarthy doesn’t want to play Test cricket. Here is why

India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has revealed that he doesn’t want to play the red-ball format. Moreover, he has opened up on the reason behind him not opting to play the longest format of the game.

Notably, the spinner emerged as India’s second-leading wicket-taker of the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scalping nine wickets. He was one of the main reasons behind India emerging as the title winner.

Though the mystery spinner has the ambition to play the longest format for India, he admitted that he won’t be fit enough to bowl more than 15 overs in a day’s play. Furthermore, he added that his focus currently is only on white ball formats.

"I do (have an interest in Test cricket), but my bowling style doesn't suit Test cricket. Mine is almost like medium pace. In Test cricket, you've to continuously bowl 20-30 overs. I can't do that in my bowling. Since I bowl quick, the maximum I can bowl is 10-15 overs which is not suited for red ball. I am focusing on 20 overs and 50 overs white ball cricket for now," Charavarthy said on Gobinath's YouTube channel.

"No. That's why I am here. I would've been stuck there had I bowled pace. There are so many pacers. Also, it doesn't swing in Tamil Nadu wickets. They are spin-friendly wickets. So you can't see many fast bowlers from Tamil Nadu. It is very rare. There is Balaji and Natarajan but there are many pacers in other states. I am happy that I left fast bowling. Even (Ravichandran) Ashwin became a spinner after leaving fast bowling. So I am happy," Charavarthy added.

Importantly, after doing well in the England T20I series, Chakravarthy made it to the Champions Trophy squad as a late entrant. He will be next seen donning the KKR jersey. KKR will lock horns with the RCB in the team’s season opener on Saturday, March 22.

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