Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has clarified that the decision to continue playing mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy despite a fractured left toe was made only after receiving full clearance from the medical staff and the BCCI support team during IPL 2026. Chakaravarthy suffered a hairline fracture earlier this month during KKR’s clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad when a powerful straight drive from Ishan Kishan struck his shoe.

Despite the painful setback, the spinner continued to feature for Kolkata in the latter stages of the season. The toe injury marked the third fracture Chakaravarthy has dealt with this year after already managing two finger fractures on his non-bowling left hand earlier in the campaign.

Speaking after KKR’s final league game against Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens, Rahane explained that the franchise carefully followed all medical protocols before allowing the spinner to take the field.

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“See, our team’s physios and the physios of the BCCI and the Indian team had a discussion among themselves. I don’t get involved in that at all. That’s their department,” Ajinkya Rahane said. “My department is to assess the player’s mindset: does the player want to play or not, and how big is the risk?”

As a centrally contracted India player, Chakaravarthy’s injury management involved close coordination between KKR’s medical unit, the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and the Indian team physios. Under standard BCCI protocol, IPL franchises are required to regularly update the board on the fitness and workload of centrally contracted players, especially when injuries carry the risk of worsening.

Ajinkya Rahane said the spinner’s determination to continue despite the pain reflected his commitment to the team and his hunger to contribute during a difficult season.“Varun was eager to play. And he gets all the credit because, with that injury, you show how important the team is for you,” Ajinkya Rahane added.

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The KKR skipper also revealed that Chakaravarthy was rested for one match because of severe pain but remained mentally prepared to return as soon as possible. According to Rahane, the medical team believed the injury would not worsen if managed correctly, allowing the spinner to safely continue his IPL campaign.