BCCI unhappy as KKR fields injured Varun Chakravarthy
The Country versus Club debate has resurfaced once again after Varun Chakravarthy bowled his full quota of overs for Kolkata Knight Riders against Gujarat Titans in an IPL match on Saturday, despite India’s top T20 spinner carrying a hairline fracture that required rest.
Watching Chakravarthy hobble in pain and continue bowling has not gone down well with people connected with the Indian team, particularly with the country scheduled to play as many as seven T20Is in Dublin and across England next month.
“I know for a fact that KKR physio is in touch with Team India physio (Kamlesh Jain). There has been a communication from KKR to BCCI that in a previous match, Varun injured his left foot while saving a boundary. It is understood that he has a hairline fracture. I believe, as a centrally contracted player of the BCCI, his fitness is paramount and the BCCI medical team could intervene. Jain might be asked as to what was the input from the KKR medical team,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
While Chakravarthy is considered as a T20 specialist and the upcoming Afghanistan home series doesn’t comprise of the shortest version games, the question remains whether the Tamil Nadu mystery spinner will have enough time to recuperate before UK tour starting on June 26 if his injury gets aggravated due to this desperation from the franchise.
But questions are being asked as to why the player himself didn’t stop bowling when he was visibly uncomfortable going back to his run-up. He gave away 47 runs in four wicketless overs and could manage only three dot balls. “If Varun was rested against RCB in the last game because of his foot injury, it is imperative to know how he couldn’t make it for that game (on May 13) after four-day break (vs DC on May 8) but played on Saturday. Yes, KKR’s campaign is on the line but can the BCCI allow franchises this kind of indiscretion? A player would want to play through pain but is that a fair thing?,” the official questioned.
It will be interesting to see if the BCCI medical team headed by physio Kamlesh Jain pulls the plug and asks KKR not to field Chakravarthy during the next two games.
The Knight Riders are scheduled to play Mumbai Indians (May 20) and Delhi Capitals (May 24) at the Eden Gardens.
