Varun Chakravarthy One Wicket Away from Special record ahead of KKR vs PBKS Clash in IPL 2026

April 06, 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders are all set to face Punjab Kings in their IPL 2026 clash on Monday, April 6, and all eyes will be on their mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Despite being one of KKR’s key bowlers over the years, Chakravarthy has been struggling to find his rhythm recently. His performance has not been as impactful as before, and this dip in form has become a talking point for fans and experts alike.

Over the past month or so, especially since the Super Eight stage of the ICC T20 World Cup, Chakravarthy has not looked at his best. His ability to trouble batters and pick wickets consistently seems to have reduced. This issue has continued into IPL 2026 as well, where he is yet to take a wicket in the first two matches of the season for the Kolkata Knight Riders. For a team that relies heavily on its spin attack, this is definitely a concern.

However, despite the recent struggles, Chakravarthy is on the verge of achieving a significant milestone. He needs just one more wicket to complete 100 wickets for KKR in IPL history. If he manages to reach this mark, he will become the first Indian player to do so for the franchise and only the third overall after Sunil Narine and Andre Russell. This milestone highlights his importance and contributions to the team over the years, even if his current form is not at its peak.

Looking at the all-time wicket-takers for KKR, Narine leads the chart with 211 wickets, followed closely by Russell with 214 wickets. Chakravarthy, with 99 wickets in 84 innings, is currently third on the list. Other notable names include Piyush Chawla and Umesh Yadav, who have also played crucial roles for the franchise in the past.

Backing from team management

Even though Chakravarthy is going through a tough phase, the team management has shown strong faith in him. KKR’s head coach Abhishek Nayar has openly supported the spinner and believes that he will bounce back soon. Speaking ahead of the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Nayar said that Chakravarthy has faced many challenges in his career and has always managed to overcome them.

He also pointed out that while opposition teams may have started playing him better, it does not mean that his effectiveness is gone. According to Nayar, this is just another phase in his journey, and with the right support and mindset, he can return to his best form. The coaching staff, as well as the franchise, continue to stand firmly behind him and are hopeful that he will deliver strong performances soon.

As KKR prepares for their next game, fans will be eager to see whether Chakravarthy can break his wicket drought and reach the 100-wicket milestone. More importantly, they will hope that this moment helps him regain confidence and return to the match-winning form that made him such a vital player for the team.