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KKR's Narine Fit for LSG Clash, Varun Chakravarthy Injury Doubt

The Kolkata Knight Riders will have Sunil Narine available for their upcoming match after he recovered from an abdominal issue. However, fellow spinner Varun Chakravarthy is a major doubt due to a left hand injury sustained last week. Narine's return is a boost for an inexperienced and depleted KKR bowling attack that has struggled in the early season. The team currently sits eighth in the table after losing their first two matches and having a third washed out.

Key Points: IPL 2026: Narine Returns, Varun Injured for KKR vs LSG

  • Narine recovers from abdominal illness
  • Varun Chakravarthy doubtful with hand injury
  • KKR's spin attack faces disruption
  • Team sits eighth after two losses and a washout
2 min read

IPL 2026: Narine available for LSG clash, Varun in doubt due to injury

KKR gets Sunil Narine back from illness but may lose Varun Chakravarthy to a hand injury ahead of their crucial IPL match against Lucknow Super Giants.

"Narine resumed his practice on Tuesday and is set to boost the inexperienced KKR bowling attack."

Kolkata, April 8

Kolkata Knight Riders will receive a massive boost in their spin attack as Sunil Narine, their marquee player, has recovered from the illness which forced him to sit out for the washed-out match against Punjab Kings on Monday.

Chakravarthy, their second spinner, is in doubt for Thursday's clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) due to an injury to his left hand, which also caused him to miss the PBKS clash. Varun's hand was covered with tape as he sat in the dugout, and there is no timeline set for his return. He had sustained the injury during the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last week, as per ESPNCricinfo.

As per KKR management, Narine faced an "abdominal issue" which kept him away from the PBKS clash, making that game the first instance since the 2019 edition that both spinners did not feature in the playing XI.

Narine resumed his practice on Tuesday and is set to boost the inexperienced KKR bowling attack, which is down due to injuries and player unavailability. Anukul Roy, the left-armer, was the sole spinner to feature for KKR against PBKS.

Varun has been wicketless and expensive in both of the matches, going for 0/48 against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in four overs and being belted for 31 runs in two overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The bowler has been struggling with form since the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. Starting off with nine wickets in four group stage matches, his form tapered off later on, taking just five wickets in five matches from the Super Eight opener to the final against New Zealand and leaking plenty of runs.

Narine has fared better though, taking 1/30 in four overs against MI, while going for 0/39 in four overs against SRH.

KKR lost both their games against MI and SRH, and just a point after a washout against PBKS, have left them at the eighth spot in the table.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Varun's form is a real worry. He was our star bowler last season, but since the World Cup, he's been leaking runs. Maybe this injury break will give him time to reset mentally. KKR's position in the table is scary, need to bounce back fast against LSG!
A
Aman W
Good news about Narine. But honestly, our problems are bigger than just one player. The entire bowling unit looks clueless under pressure. The management needs to look at our strategies. Spending so much at auction and being 8th is not acceptable. #KKR
S
Sarah B
As a neutral fan, it's sad to see Varun Chakravarthy struggle. He was such an exciting mystery spinner. The IPL schedule is brutal, and carrying niggles from international duty doesn't help. Hope he gets fully fit and rediscovers his magic.
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Vikram M
Narine's return is crucial. He brings calmness to the attack. But let's not put all pressure on him. Our Indian pacers need to step up. Where is the fire from the likes of Harshit Rana? Time for the young guns to show some fight. 💜
K
Karthik V
This is a classic case of over-reliance on two players. What's the point of having a big squad if you don't have proper backups? The team management should have groomed another Indian spinner by now. Injuries are part of the game, need to be prepared.

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