<p class="rtejustify">A few years ago, Varun Chakravarthy was just another youngster nursing dreams of cricket but pursuing architecture. But his decision to ditch architecture to plunge full-time into the game paid off.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">The man from Chennai was bought for an eye-popping Rs 8.4 crore by Kings XI Punjab at the IPL auction on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Varun, a mystery spinner who bowls leg-breaks, off-breaks, top-spinners and carrom balls, was the joint most-expensive buy at the auctions, along with left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who was bagged by Rajasthan Royals.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">“I am over the moon... I never expected this. I thought I would be bought at my base price,” said 27-year-old Varun, whose base price was just Rs 20 lakh.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Varun had quit cricket when he was in 12th standard after failing to make headway as a wicket-keeper batsman. He went on to study architecture at SRM University in Chennai. But even as a budding architect, the call of cricket remained irresistible.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Varun returned to play fourth division cricket in Chennai as a medium-paced all-rounder but fate had another twist in store. A knee injury sidelined him for six months and when he returned, he switched to spin. Varun attracted the attention of IPL teams after an excellent showing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he sparkled for Madurai Panthers. Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders invited him to bowl at their nets and subsequently, he broke into the Tamil Nadu team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.</p>
<p class="rtejustify">A few years ago, Varun Chakravarthy was just another youngster nursing dreams of cricket but pursuing architecture. But his decision to ditch architecture to plunge full-time into the game paid off.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">The man from Chennai was bought for an eye-popping Rs 8.4 crore by Kings XI Punjab at the IPL auction on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Varun, a mystery spinner who bowls leg-breaks, off-breaks, top-spinners and carrom balls, was the joint most-expensive buy at the auctions, along with left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who was bagged by Rajasthan Royals.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">“I am over the moon... I never expected this. I thought I would be bought at my base price,” said 27-year-old Varun, whose base price was just Rs 20 lakh.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Varun had quit cricket when he was in 12th standard after failing to make headway as a wicket-keeper batsman. He went on to study architecture at SRM University in Chennai. But even as a budding architect, the call of cricket remained irresistible.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Varun returned to play fourth division cricket in Chennai as a medium-paced all-rounder but fate had another twist in store. A knee injury sidelined him for six months and when he returned, he switched to spin. Varun attracted the attention of IPL teams after an excellent showing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he sparkled for Madurai Panthers. Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders invited him to bowl at their nets and subsequently, he broke into the Tamil Nadu team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.</p>