Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Varun Chakravarthy has revealed the emotional toll his early IPL journey took on him, admitting that he suffered panic attacks
almost every night during the first two seasons of his career.
Speaking during a conversation with content creator Sahiba Bali, the mystery spinner offered a rare and deeply personal insight into the pressure and uncertainty he faced before finding stability in professional cricket.
While today he stands as one of KKR's key bowlers, Varun's journey to the IPL was anything but smooth.
Varun Chakravarthy gets candid on mental health in cricket
Varun candidly shared that his panic attacks began during the early phase of his IPL career, particularly because he entered the league later than most players.
"I used to get panic attacks every night in my first two years in the IPL," he said.
"I would wake up completely drenched in sweat. My wife played a huge role in calming me down. "
Unlike many cricketers who enter professional leagues in their early twenties, Varun made his IPL debut at the age of 28-a stage when uncertainty about career stability weighed heavily on him.
"This happened because there was nothing left in my life at that time," he explained.
"I was already 28 when I got selected for the IPL for the first time. "
Before cricket offered him a breakthrough, Varun had explored other avenues, including working in films-an attempt that did not succeed.
"Before that, I had even tried working in movies, but that completely failed," he revealed.
"I also wanted to get married, but I had no money, no job, and nothing of my own. "
The pressure of late success, combined with financial insecurity and personal expectations, made sleep difficult.
"I used to get panic attacks, couldn't sleep at night, and had to take tablets just to fall asleep. "
Varun also challenged the widespread perception of glamour associated with professional cricket.
"People think a cricketer's life is easy and glamorous, but that's only true for 5%. The remaining 95% struggle their entire lives. "
His honesty highlights the rarely discussed mental-health struggles faced by professional athletes-particularly those fighting to establish themselves later in their careers.
KKR Captain Ajinkya Rahane Backs Varun Chakravarthy To Bounce Back In IPL 2026
While Varun has opened up about the personal battles behind his rise, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has publicly expressed confidence in the spinner's ability to deliver in the upcoming IPL season.
Rahane threw his full support behind Varun ahead of IPL 2026, insisting that temporary dips in performance are part of a long T20 career and should not overshadow his overall impact.
The KKR skipper pointed out that opposition teams have increasingly studied Varun's bowling over time, making it natural for challenges to arise.
"When you have a long career in T20 cricket, you tend to have such phases. It's almost like a batter sometimes not getting runs," Rahane said.
He also stressed that Varun continues to bowl some of the toughest overs in the game-often against set batters and in pressure situations.
Rahane further suggested that the short break following the T20 World Cup may have come at the perfect time, allowing the spinner to reset mentally and physically before the IPL season begins.
The captain made it clear that the team management has full faith in Varun's ability to return to peak form.
Varun Chakravarthy's story is not just about wickets and match performances-it is about persistence through uncertainty, late success, and the mental toll of chasing a dream against the clock.
His admission about panic attacks sheds light on a side of professional sport rarely seen by fans-one where pressure, insecurity, and self-doubt exist behind the glamour.
As IPL 2026 approaches, Varun will once again take the field as a key figure in Kolkata Knight Riders' bowling attack.
But beyond statistics and match results, his journey serves as a reminder that resilience often begins long before success becomes visible.
