Ajinkya Rahane praised Varun Chakaravarthy after the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner produced a match-turning spell against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL 2026 meeting on Sunday. Chakaravarthy’s performance stood out even more because he had endured a difficult run before the season began, and the same concerns had followed him into India’s T20 World Cup campaign. While the team successfully defended its title, his rhythm had been noticeably different. On top of that, he has also been managing injuries and trying to push through them. Against SRH, he delivered when it mattered most.
Chakaravarthy grabbed three wickets as KKR restricted SRH to 165 runs in 19 overs. The spinner removed Travis Head for 61, Smaran Ravichandran for 4, and Aniket Verma for 6, turning the middle overs into a decisive stretch for the Knight Riders. Rahane, speaking after the game, made it clear how pleased he was to see him come good. “Really happy for him.”
The KKR batter added that the turnaround had been visible for a while. “He was struggling before the tournament and even going into the tournament—first couple of games. The way he came back was amazing. He was always confident. Works really hard, great attitude. You want players like him to do something for the team in tough situations. He’s been bowling the tough overs. I’m sure he will continue his performance,” he said.
Earlier, SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat. Travis Head provided the early momentum for Sunrisers, but the innings was jolted in the fourth over when Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for 15. Head then took charge, punishing the KKR bowlers for 61 off 28 balls, with nine boundaries and three maximums, striking at 217.86. Ishan Kishan also contributed with 42 off 29 deliveries, hitting four fours and two sixes.
Once Head was dismissed, SRH’s innings unravelled. Sunil Narine also reached a milestone, taking his 200th wicket in IPL cricket while contributing to a rapid sequence of dismissals. In the end, SRH were bowled out for 165 in 19 overs. KKR’s chase began steadily enough and they ultimately got home with 169/3 in 18.2 overs, winning by seven wickets, with the target of 166 always within reach.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi was the key figure for the Knight Riders, scoring 59 off 47 balls. His innings included five fours and two sixes, and he maintained a strike rate of 125.53 to keep the chase moving. Rahane then summed up KKR’s approach, highlighting how the team responded as the innings unfolded. “Very good game. The way we came back with the ball. Looked like they will get 190-200. It was a good wicket to bat on. 190-200 would’ve been challenging to chase. But credit to our bowling unit, especially the spinners. They kept taking wickets. Those small moments are really important, really happy with the win. The bowling unit has been doing really well in the last 5-6 games,” he said.
Rahane also credited the backroom staff for the planning that went into the spell work. “Credit to our bowling coaches – [Dwayne] Bravo and [Tim] Southee. During practice sessions, a lot of talking, a lot of planning, different oppositions, different grounds. It’s all about planning and executing. Here and there you will go for runs, but as long as you’re clear in your head, that’s important,” he concluded.
