Raghuvanshi suffered neck pain, dizziness and headache after on-field collision with Varun Chakravarthy during KKR’s loss to MI

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Despite carrying a hairline fracture in his left foot, Varun Chakravarthy continues to turn out for Kolkata Knight Riders, earning praise from assistant coach Shane Watson for his commitment and courage during the business end of IPL 2026.

Varun, who forms KKR’s key spin partnership alongside Sunil Narine, reportedly has a hairline fracture but has continued to play as KKR fight to stay alive in the playoff race. Against Mumbai Indians, he returned economical figures of 0 for 28 from four overs, keeping the scoring under control despite battling pain.

Watson revealed that while Varun is still undergoing rehab, his willingness to keep contributing has impressed everyone within the camp.

“He’s obviously playing through a bit of pain at the moment, which just shows how brave he is and how much he wants to contribute for KKR,” Watson said after the rain-hit encounter that stretched into Thursday.

Watson also praised Varun’s turnaround after a difficult start to the season, where he managed just one wicket in his first three games before rediscovering rhythm and becoming one of KKR’s most reliable performers.

“We are very fortunate to have someone of Varun’s skill and desperation to play for KKR. With the pain he’s managing, he could easily have chosen to rest, but he’s all in for the team,” Watson added.

The injury has also caught the attention of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, although the board has largely allowed franchises to handle player fitness during the IPL season. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board’s Centre of Excellence physios are monitoring workloads but are not directly intervening while the tournament is ongoing.

The match also saw a worrying collision involving Varun and young batter-wicketkeeper Angkrish Raghuvanshi. In the 11th over of MI’s innings, Raghuvanshi sprinted in for a catch off Tilak Varma’s top edge but collided heavily with Varun, who initially completed the catch before spilling it on impact.

According to Watson, Raghuvanshi later developed neck pain, dizziness and headaches, forcing him out of the remainder of the game.

“Angkrish ran a long way to try and take that catch. Unfortunately, the collision with Varun meant he ended up having some neck pain, dizziness and a headache within a couple of overs,” Watson explained.

Watson added that KKR missed Raghuvanshi badly with the bat, describing him as one of the toughest competitors in the squad.

KKR now hope both Varun and Raghuvanshi recover in time for their final league-stage clash against Delhi Capitals on Sunday, with the team’s playoff hopes hanging in the balance.