- By Gurmeet Batra
- Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:41 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IPL 2026: Former South African captain Faf du Plessis said mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy will play a pivotal role for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 despite his underwhelming T20 World Cup showing.
Du Plessis said Indian mystery spinner's unique skills will be crucial for KKR's campaign starting March 28
Du Plessis believes the Eden Gardens track will specifically suit the spinning duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, telling that the conditions should play to their powers.
"If I was part of the KKR team management, I would ask the groundsman at Eden Gardens to make the wicket spin-friendly. KKR are blessed to have two absolute cannons in Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine," Du Plessis told JioHotStar.
"They are two of the best T20 spinners in the game right now. Both Varun and Narine have to be in the game. If they play on surfaces where they are not in contention, then you are losing those two cannons and your superpower,” he added.
"Yes, they can bowl well on any wicket and trouble batters. But for KKR to be successful this IPL, Varun and Narine need to fire. The pitch should be prepared keeping those two players in mind," Du Plessis, who played for Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru before retiring from the tournament, said.
Chakravarthy's T20 World Cup campaign was underwhelming, with the spinner snapping 14 wickets at a lacklustre economy rate exceeding 9, failing to truly fire for India despite their title triumph.
KKR concluded third from bottom on the points table last season after winning just five of their 14 matches. The Ajinkya Rahane-led team will open their campaign against the Mumbai Indians on March 29 in an away fixture.