IPL 2026: Why Varun Chakravarthy missed RCB clash in Raipur
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Abhishek Nayar has revealed that spinner Varun Chakravarthy is suffering from a fracture. The mystery spinner missed KKR's recent clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) in Raipur. While KKR lost the must-win game, Nayar rued missing the combination of Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. With Chakravarthy's absence, KKR couldn't defend 192 against the Royal Challengers.
Injury impact
Chakravarthy's absence has hurt KKR, says Nayar
After the match, Nayar said, "The Varun Chakravarthy part, we have done really well with the Sunny (Narine) and Varun combo, it is unfortunate that we have missed him a lot this season." Notably, Chakravarthy missed several games earlier in the season with multiple fractures. The KKR spinner was wicketless in his first three games this season. He then bounced back with 10 wickets in his next four games.
Match analysis
Nayar on rain not being a deciding factor
Nayar said that he doesn't think the rain before the match played a major role in the outcome. He added, "The pitch was good through and through. Anytime there is a bit of rain, you expect the ball to swing and seem a bit." Nayar defended Arora's performance, saying the team thought his experience could help them dismiss Virat Kohli.