Indian spinner Varun Chakraborty has revealed one of the most troubling chapters of his career as he faced backlash and abuse after testing positive for COVID-19 during the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.Chakraborty was among the first players to return a positive test ahead of the clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The fixture was initially postponed, but the situation quickly escalated, forcing the Board of Control for Cricket in India to suspend the tournament mid-season after 29 matches, as cases of COVID-19 began breaching team bio-bubbles.
Along with Chakraborty, KKR fast bowler Sandeep Warrier also tested positive in the camp.Looking back on that phase during his appearance on the YouTube show Journey to Jersey, Chakraborty described the emotional toll of being blamed by the fans for the tournament’s sudden halt.“The worst time was when the IPL was stopped in 2021. It was stopped halfway because I got Covid. I was the first person to test positive. So the entire IPL was stopped,” Chakraborty said.At the time, reports suggested that the mystery spinner had moved out of the biosecure environment through official clearance to undergo treatment for a shoulder problem, where he may have been exposed to the virus.However, what followed was a wave of online abuse that left a lasting impression on her.“There were people abusing me. At that time, the IPL was the only way people were passing the time. They were so angry that it was stopped. People were saying, ‘Why don’t you die?’ It was that bad,” he added.Despite this difficult episode, Chakraborty remains a key figure for KKR. In the previous IPL season, he finished as the seventh highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets at an average of 22.52 and an economy rate of 7.66, with best figures of 3 for 22. During 83 matches for the franchise, he took 99 wickets and 4 at an average of 223. 5 for 20.He also made a significant impact in the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where he emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker. Jaspreet Bumrah With 14 wickets, though he conceded runs at an economy rate of 9.25.
