No one had any doubts on Varun's calibre: KKR bowling mentor Bravo

Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach and mentor Dwayne Bravo believes the franchises unwavering faith in mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has played a crucial role in his return to form during the ongoing IPL season. Emphasising the importance of mental recovery during a demanding IPL season, Bravo said the KKR dressing room ensured Chakravarthy felt supported throughout the difficult phase.

Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach and mentor Dwayne Bravo believes the franchise's unwavering faith in mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has played a crucial role in his return to form during the ongoing IPL season. Chakravarthy has been one of KKR's standout performers in an otherwise dull season, with 10 wickets at an economy rate of under nine. Bravo said the team never doubted the spinner's ability despite a lean phase earlier in the tournament. ''Yeah, I think in sports, it's very result orientated and sometimes people get very emotional. ''So a player like Varun, who is a world-class spinner, just came out from the World Cup which was also a very hectic tournament,'' Bravo said on the eve of the IPL match against Delhi Capitals here. Chakravarthy required a break but his skill set was never under scanner. ''So a break at the right time is always important but no one ever questioned his ability because again, when you are so good it's only a matter of time before you come back into form,'' Bravo said. Emphasising the importance of mental recovery during a demanding IPL season, Bravo said the KKR dressing room ensured Chakravarthy felt supported throughout the difficult phase. ''The group is very supportive of him and a mental break is also very needed especially in a tournament like IPL that has so many games, high pressure, the best versus the best. ''So yeah, no matter who you are as a player, you see that there are so many other quality players struggling this season and I think that's the beauty of the sport. Players have to go through those moments, but eventually they will bounce back,'' he said. Bravo, regarded as one of the pioneers of death bowling variations in T20 cricket, also spoke about the craft behind delivering an effective slower ball and said execution alone is not enough without game awareness. ''Yeah, I'm very hands-on. Everyone wants me to teach them that slower ball. ''It's one of my strengths when I used to play. But also what was my strength was my ability to read and understand the game. And for me, that is what I try to coach more than anything else,'' Bravo explained. ''Bowling slower ball is one thing. But it's knowing when to bowl a slower ball, who to bowl it to, the build-up to bowling a slower ball. So all of these things are factors. ''They don't just bowl a slower ball. There's a lot of thinking behind it and you have to practise it a lot. The brain is the most important thing,'' he added.