'Bowling in tough situations': KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane lauds Varun Chakravarthy's return to form after SRH victory

After Kolkata Knight Riders’ win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), captain Ajinkya Rahane praised spinner Varun Chakravarthy for his comeback and said he hopes the bowler will “continue” his form.

Varun took three wickets in the match, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi also contributed with a steady innings as KKR won by seven wickets. It was KKR’s third win of the season.

Varun had gone wicketless in his first three matches of IPL 2026 after a mixed T20 World Cup where spinners struggled after the group stage. But in the next four matches, he has taken 10 wickets.

At the post-match presentation, Rahane said the pitch was good for batting and that 190–200 would have been difficult to chase.

"Credit to our bowlers. They kept on taking wickets. The bowling unit has been doing really well. Credit goes to our bowling coaches. It is all about planning and executing. As long as you are clear in your head, that is important. The victory was very important," he said.

Rahane also said the team stayed calm despite earlier losses and spoke about Varun’s role.

"We lost those five matches, but the atmosphere was calm. We kept it really cool. Really happy for Varun. The way he came back was amazing. Works really hard. Great attitude. He has been bowling in the tough situations. I am sure he will continue his performance," he signed off.

With this win, KKR moved to eighth place. They now have seven points from five losses and one no result. SRH are fourth with 12 points from six wins and four losses.

SRH won the toss and batted first. Travis Head made 61 off 27 balls with nine fours and three sixes, while Ishan Kishan scored 42 off 29 balls with four fours and two sixes. SRH were 105 for 1 at one stage but were bowled out for 165 after Varun Chakravarthy (3/36) and Sunil Narine (2/31) took wickets at regular intervals.

In the chase of 166, Finn Allen made 29 off 13 balls with three fours and two sixes. He added 84 runs with Rahane, who scored 43 off 35 balls with three fours and a six, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who made 59 off 47 balls with five fours and two sixes. KKR reached the target with seven wickets in hand and 10 balls remaining.