Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have revived their chances of reaching Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs with four consecutive wins. Ahead of their clash against table toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), KKR team management is sweating over the availability of their in-form mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. The T20 World Cup 2026-winning member limped off the field after completing his fourth over against Delhi Capitals (DC). While skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that Chakaravarthy should be fine, he was seen walking with a crutch and a brace in his left leg.
KKR are scheduled to go up against RCB at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur on May 13. The previous match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the venue was double-paced and assisted spin as well. If Chakaravarthy is ruled out of the clash, it will be a big blow for KKR as he can bowl in tandem with Sunil Narine and stem the flow of boundaries in the middle overs.
“Varun was at our practice (in Raipur) today (Monday), but we’ll come to know tomorrow (Tuesday) if he could be available for the RCB clash,” a KKR source was quoted as saying by Telegraph India.
Do KKR have Varun Chakaravarthy’s replacement?
A call on Chakaravarthy's availability may be taken on the eve of the game or on match day. If he doesn't play, KKR don't have established spinners in their lineup. In that case, Anukul Roy will have to complete his quota of four overs. Cameron Green will have more responsibility as a bowler. The spin-bowling options KKR have other than Narine and Chakaravarthy are leg-spinners Prashant Solanki and Daksh Kamra.
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Varun Chakaravarthy’s record vs RCB
The 34-year-old has a good record against RCB. From 11 games, he has 15 wickets at an average of 19.93, including a four-fer. His economy rate against them is 7.17 runs per over.
Varun Chakaravarthy’s form in IPL 2026
After a tough initial period, he found form. He missed a few games as well due to foot injury. From eight appearances, he has 10 wickets at an average of 25. His economy rate has come down to 8.62 runs per over.