KOLKATA: The pressure was mounting on Kolkata Knight Riders after a six-match winless streak and the significance of Sunday’s victory was not lost on Varun Chakravarthy.“I saw more tears in the dressing room today than when we won the tournament (in 2024),” the spinner said. “This win means a lot to us.
Watch
Ajinkya Rahane press conference: KKR skipper backs bowlers, hits back at SR critics It has kept them alive in the tournament even though the road ahead is extremely difficult.It was a big day for Varun too as he announced his return to form with figures of three for 14. But he doesn’t want to make too much of it. “The wicket has helped us a bit and when that happens the bowler will tend to attack,” he said.In fact, he couldn’t find anything wrong with his bowling in the previous two months when he gave away too many runs. “It’s all about the kind of wickets you get,” he said.“I’m very hard on myself. When I’m not doing well, I go and identify what’s not there. But the pitches were such that there was nothing for the spinners. If you see other spinners, it was the same condition for everyone. So yes, it’s nice that there’s something for the spinners now (at Eden).”But he agreed that despite the slowness of the wicket at Eden Gardens on Sunday, 190 was par for the course. Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathore agreed with Varun.“We were at least 20 runs short,” said Rathore, also a former Indian batting coach.He regretted that seamer Nandre Burger’s left-hander missed Rinka Singh when he was on eight in what proved to be a decisive moment, but added that it was part of the game. “Yes, it was a difference, but things like that happen.
