Kamal Ghorui
Indian cricketer Varun Chakravarthy isn’t just a sport star— he’s living a real-life love story that inspires people. From SRM University sweethearts to IPL and T20 World Cup stardom, Varun’s wife, Neha Khedekar, stood by him at a time when his dreams of becoming a cricketer felt impossible. It’s often said that behind every successful man, there’s a woman– and in Varun Chakravarty’s case, this seems to be absolutely true. Read on to know how, and their heart-warming story that will make you believe in love:
When Varun and Neha’s friendship blossomed into eternal love
Picture this: SRM University campus, late 2000s. Varun, hailing from Bidar, Karnataka, and fresh off schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya and St. Patrick’s, dives into architecture. Amid lectures and late-night sketches, he meets Neha Khedekar. What starts as casual chats blooms into a deep friendship, and then love.They dated through college highs and lows, building a strong bond based on friendship. Neha wasn’t just a girlfriend—she became his confidante, cheering his hidden cricket passion even when he shelved it for studies. In a cricket world of glamour, their simple college love shines as pure and enduring.
Neha’s selfless support: “Play cricket—We’ll manage!”
After graduating, Varun landed a cushy architect job—but cricket tugs at his heart. He kept it secret, but Neha knew well and supported him. And when Varun was thinking of leaving his well-paying job to work on his dream of playing for the Indian cricket team, Neha became his pillar of support. He warned her not to trust him, as he had to work hard and had no job. “Don’t trust me, Neha. No job, just hard grind,” he recalled saying to Neha in an earlier interview.But her reply is what reassured him. “I told my wife not to trust me and come with me since I didn’t even have a job. But she believed in me. She gave me confidence and said, ‘Play cricket, earn 5-6K. I’m earning… We’ll manage. She believed in me when I had nothing!,” Varun said in the interview, as per several reports.Varun later shared emotionally, “She gave me confidence.” That faith launched him: from TNPL 2018 spotlight to Kings XI Punjab buy to KKR switch in 2020—Neha’s push made it happen. Behind the mystery spin? A wife’s unwavering trust.
Wedding amid chaos: Postponed, but perfect
In 2020, Varun and Neha had planned their wedding, but with COVID-19, it got postponed. However, the couple stayed strong amid lockdowns. On December 12, 2020, they finally got married in an intimate wedding ceremony. .On November 10, 2022, the couple welcomed their first baby boy, Aathman, thus starting a joyful chapter of being parents.IPL 2023, when Varun was announced the Player of the Match, he told Harsha Bhogle: “I’d like to credit this to my newborn son—still haven’t seen him properly. Dedicate it to him and my wife.” Away for games, he honoured Neha’s sacrifices for him. She held fort at home while he spun magic on-field.Varun Chakravarthy and his wife, Neha Khedekar, remind us that true partners help each other grow in life.
