‘Many tears’ in KKR dressing room after emotional first win: ‘More than when we won the title’

Kolkata Knight Riders finally snapped their winless streak with a hard-fought victory over Rajasthan Royals, closing out the first half of their season on a high in a tense, low-scoring contest.

It has been a challenging campaign for KKR, marked by inconsistent performances and a run of setbacks both on and off the field. Prolonged struggles without results can weigh heavily even on seasoned players, and the emotional release after this win was evident.

Star spinner Varun Chakravarthy revealed that the dressing room was overcome with emotion after the match. “This win was very, very significant. I saw tears in the dressing room today—something we didn’t even see when we won the IPL in 2024,” he said, underlining the importance of the breakthrough.

Chakravarthy credited the team’s support staff for helping players stay focused despite mounting criticism. “A lot of outside noise and baseless judgments were there, but the coaching staff ensured it didn’t affect us,” he added.

He also pointed to early-season setbacks, including injuries to key players such as Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Matheesha Pathirana, which weakened their pace attack and disrupted team balance. Coupled with batting struggles and his own fitness issues, the team had been under significant pressure.

Despite the adversity, Chakravarthy praised the resilience within the squad and highlighted the role of assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. “In such situations, you need courage. He stepped up when things were toughest and guided the team through it,” he said.

With players gradually regaining form and reinforcements coming in, Chakravarthy expressed optimism about a turnaround. “Step by step, one win at a time—we’ll get back on track,” he said.