- By Sunny Daud
- Sat, 09 May 2026 11:49 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Varun Chakravarthy played an important role in controlling the scoring rate during the middle overs against Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2026 clash on May 8 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. However, there was concern among fans after the spinner appeared to struggle physically during his final over and was seen limping back to his bowling mark before eventually walking off the field after completing his spell.
Despite the injury scare, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane assured everyone that there was nothing serious to worry about after Kolkata’s convincing eight-wicket victory.
“He’s fine. As long as Varun is bowling, he’s happy. When he’s fielding, he just wants to go inside. But he’s fine. He’s absolutely fine. One game at a time,” Rahane said in the post-match presentation.
Chakravarthy's bowling against DC
Chakravarthy had a mixed outing with the ball. After a slow start to the season, the mystery spinner has slowly regained rhythm and once again looked effective in the middle overs against Delhi.
He was introduced into the attack immediately after the power play and gave away seven runs in his first over, including a boundary from opener Pathum Nissanka. In his second over, he kept Sameer Rizvi quiet and conceded only three runs.
Rahane then brought him back in the 14th over, where Chakravarthy bowled tightly against Axar Patel and Ashutosh Sharma, giving away just two runs.
However, his final over turned out to be expensive. While visibly struggling and limping during his run-up, he was attacked by Ashutosh Sharma, who smashed him for a six and two boundaries. The over went for 16 runs, but Chakravarthy still managed to complete his full quota of four overs and finished with figures of 4-0-28-0.
The spinner’s recent improvement has been one of the positives for KKR. After going wicketless in his first three appearances this season, Chakravarthy has bounced back strongly. He now has 10 wickets from eight matches at an average of 25, while his economy rate has improved to 8.62.
Chakravarthy missed three matches for KKR
Earlier in the season, Chakravarthy had already missed three matches because of a foot injury. KKR will now hope the latest issue is only a minor concern, especially with an important phase of the tournament coming up.
The good news for Kolkata is that they have a short break before their next match. KKR will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 13 at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.
KKR's IPL 2026 Playoffs Qualification Scenario
Chakravarthy’s fitness could be crucial for KKR’s playoff hopes. The defending champions currently have nine points from 10 matches, including four wins and one abandoned game, and sit seventh on the points table. To stay alive in the playoff race, Kolkata will likely need to win at least three of their remaining four matches.