New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS): Varun Chakaravarthy’s comeback to India T20I team hit a high note when he picked a sensational 5-17 in the second game against South Africa at Gqeberha, coinciding with the day his son turned two back home.

Though it didn’t result in an Indian victory, Chakaravarthy spun a vicious web of googlies while varying his pace to bamboozle Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller to grab his career-best T20I figures.

Chakaravarthy revealed how he had to change everything about his bowling after having a not so memorable first stint with the Indian team. “I had to go to the drawing board and check out all my videos. I figured out that I was bowling side spin, and it was not working out in the higher levels.”

“So, I had to change everything about my bowling, and it took me two years and I started bowling in the local leagues and IPL also. So, it worked there, and I have started bowling it in the international stage and it’s working out for me,” he said to broadcasters JioCinema.

He also talked about what makes it difficult for batters to pick his deliveries. “It is a combination of both my consistency and overspin. The overspin I bowl has more bite from the pitch and hopefully I can keep doing that and hopefully I can keep contributing for the country. All I want is to have a longer run with the Indian Cricket Team and hopefully I can do it well.”

Chakaravarthy signed off by saying how clarity has aided him in approaching games from a mental perspective. “More than confidence, I’d say I’m focusing more on clarity. That’s helping me more right now. Sometimes I feel confidence can lead me into a wrong direction and make me believe that I can do something impossible, so I feel focusing on clarity is better. I’m focused on that more.”