Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 21 (ANI): Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner Varun Chakravarthy expressed excitement for a potential battle against star India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli.

The IPL 2025 will kickstart with a highly-anticipated contest between defending champions KKR and RCB at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the match that started it all 17 years back. One of the most important mini-battles in the game will be between a red-hot Varun against Virat, who will be aiming to go all out guns blazing against spin, having retired last year from T20Is with a T20 World Cup and a match-winning knock in the final.

Speaking ahead of the game in the pre-match presser, Varun said, 'Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat. Obviously, he has batted well against me, and I would like to do well against him also,' he added.

Virat has faced Varun in seven innings with a cautious approach, scoring 40 runs in 39 balls at a strike rate of just over 102. Varun has dismissed Virat once and has conceded two fours and a six against the Indian legend.

Fresh from his impressive performance in the ICC Champions Trophy - where he took nine wickets in three matches - Chakaravarthy acknowledged the different challenges that the IPL presents compared to international cricket.

'Confidence is very important, but as in every new tournament, even if you win the last tournament, you have to start from scratch. IPL is a different ball game and it's a different beast. I very well know what is coming my way,' said the spinner.

The spinner, known for his variations, has been working on adding new deliveries to his arsenal. 'Whenever I play domestic cricket, I try to work on a new delivery,' he revealed while keeping his cards close to his chest about what fans might see this season.

The spinner also spoke highly of his teammate Sunil Narine, saying, 'He is a legend of the game, one of the greats. We had a few conversations this year, and he looks very well-prepared. He looks to take on the IPL just like how he did last year.'

When asked about how he maintains his mystery despite advances in technology and video analysis, Chakaravarthy offered a thoughtful insight into his approach. 'The ball can deviate only in three ways - it can go left, right, or straight. It just depends on how I'm going to choose the sequencing, if I'm going to go off-spin right now or leg-spin right now. That's where the tactical side of the game comes in, and that's where I'm trying to improve.'

Despite being defending champions, Chakaravarthy emphasized the need to approach each game with a fresh mindset. 'If you saw, we had the biggest victory and the biggest loss. This shows that every match is different. As experts say, you have to take it as a new tournament and start from scratch.'

KKR have strengthened their squad with several international stars ahead of this season. Sharing his thoughts on his new teammates, he said, 'We will look to defend the title this year. We have a great squad with great batters like Quinton de Kock, and top bowlers like Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell. This international core will be important,' Chakaravarthy concluded. (ANI)