'Confidence is very subjective. Every new tournament, even if you win the last tournament, you have to start from the scratch.'
He may have been one of the main architects of India's Champions Trophy triumph, but mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy believes the IPL presents an entirely new challenge, calling it a 'different beast' with need to press the restart button.
Chakravarthy was instrumental in India's success in Champions Trophy, picking up five wickets in his first match against New Zealand, as he finished with nine wickets in the tournament.
However, he remains cautious about carrying over past success.
"Confidence is very subjective. Every new tournament, even if you win the last tournament, you have to start from the scratch," Chakravarthy said at the pre-match media interaction ahead of their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Kolkata on Saturday.
"You have to start from zero. As they say, if you score a hundred in the previous match, you have to start from zero.
"So, similarly, yes, I did well in the last tournament but still, IPL is a different ball game and it's a different beast. I very well know what's coming my way and I have to be on my toes."
Asked about how he maintains his mystery despite advances in technology and video analysis, Chakaravarthy offered a thoughtful insight into his approach.
"The ball can deviate only in three ways - it can go left, right, or straight. It just depends on how I'm going to choose the sequencing, if I'm going to go off-spin right now or leg-spin right now. That's where the tactical side of the game comes in, and that's where I'm trying to improve."
With a leadership change -- Ajinkya Rahane as captain and Dwayne Bravo as team mentor -- the team dynamics may have shifted.
Chakravarthy revealed he has spoken with Rahane and is ready to bowl whenever the team needs him.
"I cannot choose when I want to bowl. It's totally up to the captain. And whenever he wants me to bowl, I am ready for it," he said.
"Previously, I have bowled in the Powerplay, middle and the death also. So, now we have a new captain this time. And he has spoken to me on where he feels that I am more effective. And I have conveyed that to him."
Chakravarthy is also excited about the prospect of facing Virat Kohli in the opening fixture at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.
"Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat. Obviously, he's batted well against me, and I would like to do well against him also," he said.
Chakravarthy also said the rule changes for IPL 2025, particularly the introduction of two balls in the second innings of the day-night games to counter the dew factor, would help the spinners.
"Maybe the dew part where you can change the ball might help the spinners. The moment they change the ball, the 11th, 12th and 13th could be a spinner bowling. So, the ball won't be that wet," he said.
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