Mumbai Indians they started ipl 2026 campaign with impressive victories Kolkata Knight Riders Successfully chased down a tough target of 221 runs with surprising ease, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. What was expected to be a close contest turned into a one-sided contest as MI’s batsmen dominated, giving KKR a tough start to their season.
Chase’s explosive opening stand made headlines Rohit SharmaWhose aggressive attitude in the powerplay created the atmosphere in the beginning itself. With contributions from the top order, Mumbai Indians won in just 19.1 overs, losing only four wickets in the process. However, amid KKR’s disappointing bowling performance, one player who came under heavy scrutiny was their mystery spinner Varun Chakraborty.
Kris Srikkanth criticizes Varun Chakravarthy’s disappointing performance against Mumbai Indians
former captain of india chris srikanth While not holding back in assessing Chakravarthy’s performance, he openly criticized the spinner for his ineffective bowling and lack of variation. Speaking on his YouTube channel after the match, Srikkanth pointed out that Varun’s over-reliance on googlies has made him predictable in the eyes of modern batsmen. He stressed the need for spinners to rediscover their leg-spin and bring more variety into their game.
According to Srikkanth, Varun’s “mystery” factor has faded to a great extent, making it easier for batsmen to read him. He said that until the spinner evolves and develops a full range of balls, he may continue to struggle at the highest level. The criticism comes after a disappointing performance where Varun conceded 48 runs in his four overs without taking a single wicket – a figure that proved costly in a high-scoring encounter.
“Until Varun Chakravarthy learns to spin the ball and bowl leg-spin, he will continue to struggle. Just bowling googlies all the time won’t do. He has to bring some variety and bowl leg-spin. There is no mystery with him now. Your mystery is history.” Srikanth said.
Powerplay bet backfired on Rohit Sharma
Srikkanth also questioned KKR’s strategic decision of including Chakravarthy during the powerplay, especially against a batsman of Rohit’s caliber. The move backfired almost immediately, as Rohit pushed the spinner forward and hit a boundary and a six to regain the momentum. The former Indian captain believes that bowling Varun early in the innings affected his confidence. Once put under pressure, the spinner lost control, and resorted to faster deliveries which further played into the hands of the Mumbai batsmen. Srikkanth emphasized that spinners like Varun are more effective when they operate outside the powerplay, where they can rely on deception rather than pace.
“Bowl leg-spin and take the ball away from the batsmen. Only then will the batsmen fear you. First of all, they should not be given the ball in the powerplay. Rohit Sharma ended the match in his own over in the powerplay. Varun Chakravarthy lost his confidence there and after that he started bowling fast.” Added Srikanth.
Chakraborty’s struggle is not limited to this match only. The spinner has faced a tough period in recent months, including a challenging period in the latter half t20 world cup 2026Despite this, India ultimately won the trophy.
