Are IPL teams forcing injured stars to play? BCCI Secretary breaks his silence

The debate over player workload and franchise pressure in the IPL returned to the limelight after Kolkata Knight Riders fielded Varun Chakravarthy despite the spinner carrying a hairline fracture in his left leg. As concerns grew over the risk of injuries worsening, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia admitted that the board is not fully involved in franchise decisions during the IPL season.

The problem gained attention after that Chakravarthy cast his complete spell against Gujarat Titans on May 16 despite visibly struggling with pain. The mystery spinner limped with parts of his spell and looked uncomfortable as he returned to his mark, prompting criticism over KKR’s decision to continue using him.

Speaking to PTI, Saikia explained BCCI’s current role regarding centrally contracted players during the IPL while acknowledging that the franchises largely control injury management during the tournament.

“When it comes to the IPL, the franchises look after the injuries and the fitness of the players. Of course, the physios from the COE (Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru) also monitor them, the workload and the plan to keep them fit,” Saikia said.

However, the BCCI secretary also admitted that the board’s powers remain limited during the IPL.

“Monitoring is there, but when the IPL is going on, we can’t interfere too much. If it was the Indian team’s situation, our monitoring would be more,” added Saikia.

His statement reopened the long-running country versus club debate in Indian cricket, especially with India’s busy international calendar fast approaching.

“We are now giving freedom to the franchises to accept the players. We will definitely look at their fitness level when it comes to selecting the national team,” Saikia further said.

WHAT IS THE KKR-VARUN CHAKRAVARTHA CHECK?

Controversy erupted after Varun Chakravarthy collapsed in pain during KKR’s clash against Gujarat Titans despite reportedly carrying a hairline fracture that ideally required rest.

The Tamil Nadu spinner completed his quota of four overs conceding 47 runs without claiming a wicket. He managed just three balls during the spell and visibly faltered at various points in the innings.

Things have not gone down well with people connected to the Indian squad, especially with India scheduled to play seven T20Is in Dublin and England from June 26.

Although Chakravarthy is not currently part of India’s ODI or Test plans and the upcoming Afghanistan series does not include a T20I, concerns remain that the spinner could aggravate the injury ahead of the UK tour if he continues to play for KKR.

There are also questions as to why the player himself did not stop bowling despite looking physically uncomfortable.

KKR’s desperation to stay alive in the playoff race only intensified the scrutiny. The defending champions are currently eighth in the IPL 2026 points table with 11 points from 12 matches and realistically need to win both their remaining matches while depending on other results.

WILL BCCI KKR REST VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY?

At this point, the BCCI has not officially ordered KKR to rest Chakravarthy, but Saikia’s comments indicate that the board continues to closely monitor the situation through the Center of Excellence’s medical staff.

It now remains to be seen whether the BCCI medical team led by Kamlesh Jain will eventually intervene if the spinner’s condition deteriorates further.

KKR still have two league games left, against Mumbai Indians on May 20 and Delhi Capitals on May 24 at the Eden Gardens – with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance.

Whether Chakravarthy in these matches can now become a more important topic than KKR’s playoff calculations themselves.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

19 May 2026 20:43 IST