Why Varun Chakaravarthy Is Not Playing IPL 2026 Match Against LSG?

Star Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy is not playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in their fourth league match of IPL 2026 against Lucknow Super Giants. According to KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Varun, who also missed KKR’s third IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday, April 6, is still recovering from the hand injury that he suffered during KKR’s second IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad last week.

“Varun is still recovering from his hand injury,” Rahane said during the toss.

While Varun misses a second match in a row for KKR, Sunil Narine is back in the playing XI. Narine, who is KKR’s most capped player and also the highest wicket-taker in the IPL, missed the last game against PBKS due to illness. He

has replaced Blessing Muzarabani in the playing XI. Muzarabani picked up 4 wickets in KKR’s second IPL 2026 match against KKR.

During the toss, Rahane has also confirmed Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will bowl against LSG.

“Just one change —Sunil (Narine) comes in place of Blessing (Muzarabani). When he (Cameron Green) is allowed to bowl, we will probably see him, the combination gets better, so Rovman Powell plays, when Cam Green bowls then we have that extra bowler with us,” Rahane added.

No change for LSG

Lucknow Super Giants, meanwhile, are playing with the same team that secured a win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 match played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday, April 5. However, it will be interesting to see Rishabh Pant’s batting position. Pant, who has opted to field first on Thursday (April 9), opened the innings against Delhi Capitals on April 1 and played as a No. 3 batter against SRH.

He scored an unbeaten half-century in the IPL 2026 match against SRH.

Playing XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (C), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik Tyagi

Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav