Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane has opened up about the ongoing controversy surrounding Varun Chakravarthy’s toe fracture. KKR were criticised for playing Varun and not allowing him enough time to rehab after he sustained a fracture in his left toe. Varun picked up the injury while playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on May 3.
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The incident unfolded after a straight hit from Ishan Kishan struck Varun on his left toe. However, Varun bowled his entire quota of four overs and finished with figures of 3/36. He accounted for Travis Head, Ravichandran Smaran and Aniket Verma. Varun was adjudged the Player of the Match (POTM) as KKR beat SRH by seven wickets.
Rahane clarified that KKR’s decision to play Varun despite his fracture was made after they were assured by medical staff that the injury wouldn’t worsen.
“See, our team’s physios and the physios of BCCI NCA and the Indian team, there was a discussion among them. I don’t get involved in that at all. That’s their department. My department is how’s the player’s mindset, does the player want to play or not, how big is the risk?” Rahane said after KKR’s loss to Delhi Capitals in their last league match of IPL 2026.
“Yes, it’s important to consider the health factor, to stay fit. Your injuries shouldn’t increase. Yes, we think about that. But the physios felt that his injuries won’t increase.”
KKR finish IPL 2026 on a disappointing note
Having been knocked out of the playoffs race after Rajasthan Royals’ win over Mumbai Indians in the afternoon game on May 24, KKR’s fixture against Delhi Capitals in Kolkata became a dead rubber. However, it still carried weight as KKR were playing in front of their home crowd.
The three-time IPL winners chose to field first and conceded 203 for the loss of five wickets. Left-arm seamer Saurabh Dubey was the pick of all the bowlers for KKR. He bagged figures of 2/28 in his four overs. It proved to be a tall ask for the hosts. They got bundled out for 163 in 18.4 overs and lost the game by 40 runs. Rahane top-scored for KKR with 63 off just 39 balls.
