Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has revealed the emotional scenes inside the dressing room after KKR finally secured their first win of IPL 2026, defeating Rajasthan Royals in a much-needed breakthrough. The three-time champions had endured a nightmare start, going six matches without a win — their worst streak in IPL history — and were languishing at the bottom of the table with just one point from a rain-hit clash against Punjab Kings.

Despite the pressure, KKR stuck with the same playing combination that lost to the Gujarat Titans. After losing the toss, their spin attack stepped up brilliantly to restrict the Rajasthan Royals to 155, setting up a tense chase. The batters then showed resilience, pulling off the win in the final over with a record seventh-wicket partnership.

Reflecting on the victory, Varun Chakaravarthy admitted the moment was deeply emotional for the entire squad. “Very, very significant. I can tell you I saw many tears in the dressing room today,” he said. “We didn’t even see this in the year we won the IPL in 2024.” He also credited the support staff for keeping the team grounded during a tough phase.

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“The main credit goes to the coaching staff because they didn’t let the outside noise affect us,” he added. “There were too many people making judgments that were totally baseless. At such times, you need a strong core, and we have that.”

Chakaravarthy led from the front with the ball, picking up three wickets for just 14 runs and earning the Player of the Match award. KKR’s struggles this season have been compounded by injuries and the unavailability of key players like Harshit Rana, Akash Deep, Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman.

Backing head coach Abhishek Nayar, Varun Chakaravarthy acknowledged the challenges faced by the team.

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“We started this tournament with many injuries and it actually crippled us even before it began,” he said. “If you’re taking up a team in such conditions, you need a lot of courage. He has taken up the team in a very tough situation. Slowly, step by step, one win here, one win there, we will be back on track.”

The win helped KKR move up to ninth place, offering a glimmer of hope as they aim to revive their IPL 2026 campaign.