Varun Chakaravarthy admitted that Kolkata Knight Riders’ first win of IPL 2026 came with a wave of emotion, revealing there were “a lot of tears in the dressing room which we didn't see in the year that we won the IPL in 2024.”
Surya spoke about emotional exchanges with several players in the squad, including Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson, highlighting how their willingness to prioritise the team above personal roles defined India’s successful World Cup journey.
Having lifted the Men’s T20 World Cup trophy for the first time in 2007, before breaking a long drought to clinch the crown in 2024, defending champions India are aiming to become the first team to achieve three milestones: retain the crown, win it three times, and clinch a World Cup in the shortest format on home soil.
Central to that plan, the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning former skipper feels Hardik Pandya’s all-round ability to contribute across disciplines gives India unmatched flexibility.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar analysed spinner Varun Chakaravarthy’s performance and praised the team’s all-round performance in the first T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand as the Men in Blue clinched a thumping win in Nagpur and kicked off the final preparations ahead of the Men's T20 World Cup.
The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be back in action at the iconic Eden Gardens as they are all set to clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in an Indian Premier League 2025 season opener on Saturday.
