Aakash Chopra on Varun Aaron.
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Varun Aaron retired from international cricket on January 10. The pacer ended his career playing nine Tests and as many ODIs for India. He has claimed 29 wickets in both formats and played his last game for India in 2015 as he featured in the Test series against South Africa in Bengaluru. Since then, the pacer has been seen playing for Jharkhand in the domestic record.
Varun grabbed the spotlight when he bowled 153 kph during the 2010-11 Vijay Hazare Trophy final against Gujarat. He was then looked at as the pacer who had the sheer pace. But the bowler’s short-lived stay with the Indian team could not get a second innings after 2015. After he retired, former India cricketer and commentator, lamented that the right-arm pacer’s had a ‘slightly unfulfilled potential.’
Also Read: Varun Aaron announces retirement from professional cricket
“Varun Aaron has announced his retirement. He first left red-ball cricket and now he has left cricket entirely. He said – ‘That’s it, I am done.’ He used to bowl fast. Varun Aaron was rapid, he had pace. If I remember correctly, he made his debut in Adelaide because Virat Kohli liked fast bowlers a lot then,” said Chopra on his YouTube Channel.
“He got him to make his debut and the poor guy got hit a lot and I said where the guy had been trapped. However, he didn’t get to play much cricket after that. I thought he was good. Slightly unfulfilled potential if I see it from Varun’s viewpoint. He was a very decent cricketer,” he added.
Speaking of his first-class career, the 35-year-old picked 165 wickets in 57 games for Jharkhand at an average of 33.27 and a strike rate of 34.5. He made his IPL debut in 2011 with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and has played for Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujrat Titans and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).