Will Star Spin Duo Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy Make Comeback Against LSG? KKR Issue Key Fitness Update

IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane-led Kolkata Knight Riders will face Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants in the 15th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, April 9.

Here's How KKR Performed In IPL 2026 So Far

The Knight Riders are enduring a tough campaign in the 19th edition of the IPL. They are yet to register a win, with their only point coming from a washed-out fixture against Punjab Kings (PBKS) due to heavy rain.

KKR began their season with a disappointing six-wicket defeat to Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 6 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They then suffered a heavy 65-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in front of their home fans at Eden Gardens.

Their third outing, against PBKS on April 6 at Eden Gardens, saw them struggle early after losing quick wickets. However, the Knights were spared further damage as the match was abandoned due to rain.

In that game, KKR dropped star spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy due to fitness concerns. Ahead of their clash with the Super Giants, the franchise provided a crucial update on the duo.

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At the pre-match press conference, a KKR spokesperson revealed that Narine had been sidelined with abdominal pain during the Punjab match but has now recovered. Chakravarthy, however, is nursing a finger injury, and his availability will be determined later.

“Sunil Narine had some abdominal pain, which caused him to miss the last game, but he has recovered well. He was at training yesterday and today, so he looks good. Varun has a finger injury; the exact update on that will be known later,” KKR stated.

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KKR Yet To Clinch Maiden Win In IPL 2026

Currently, KKR sit eighth in the IPL 2026 standings with one point and a net run rate of -1.964.

Narine has played 191 matches and 189 innings in IPL, claiming 193 wickets at an economy rate of 6.82 and a bowling average of 25.86. The Caribbean also scored 1792 runs from 123 IPL innings at a strike rate of 167.00 and an average of 17.56. On the other hand, Chakravarthy played 86 IPL matches and 85 innings, taking 100 wickets at an economy rate of 7.68 and a bowling average of 24.64.