Kolkata, April 19: Varun Chakravarthy has made history by becoming the fastest Indian spinner to reach 200 wickets in T20 cricket. He achieved this milestone while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday.
In the 28th match of IPL 2026, Chakravarthy took his first wicket in his opening over, dismissing young batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was caught by Ramandeep Singh. This wicket propelled Chakravarthy to the top of the list for Indian spinners in T20 cricket, reaching 200 wickets in just 155 innings.
Chakravarthy surpassed several prominent names in Indian cricket. His closest competitors include Kuldeep Yadav, who reached this mark in 160 innings, followed by Jaydev Unadkat (162 innings) and Mohammed Shami (165 innings). Although Arshdeep Singh holds the overall record for the fastest achievement (151 innings), Chakravarthy stands out as the fastest among spinners.
In his IPL career, Chakravarthy has taken 105 wickets in 89 matches, maintaining an average of 24.17 and an economy rate of 7.65. In the current season, he has claimed five wickets in five matches at an average of 30.60. In T20 international cricket, he has taken 73 wickets in 45 matches, with an impressive average of 16.61 and an economy rate of 7.55, including two five-wicket hauls for India.
During the match at Eden Gardens, Chakravarthy bowled four overs, conceding just 14 runs while taking three wickets. Besides Suryavanshi, he also dismissed Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag, effectively dismantling the RR batting lineup.
Chakravarthy’s exceptional bowling performance was crucial in determining the match’s outcome. The Rajasthan Royals managed only 155 runs, losing nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. In response, KKR chased down the target in 19.4 overs. After losing six wickets for just 85 runs, Rinku Singh (not out 53) and Anukul Roy (not out 29) forged an unbeaten partnership of 76 runs off 37 balls, leading the team to a thrilling victory.
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