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IPL 2026: Varun Chakravarthy has remained India's most potent weapon when it comes to T20I cricket. He might not have been at his best at the recently concluded T20 World Cup, but he played a pivotal role, helping India to become the first team to defend a T20 World Cup title on home soil.

Harbhajan Singh Reveals Curious Varun Chakravarthy Story

With the focus now shifting to IPL, Varun will be one of the first names on the Kolkata Knight Riders team list. The mystery spinner has been a core part of the KKR squad and will be one of the players to watch out for. Varun gained his popularity while playing for KKR only and later has also gone on to feature for the Men In Blue.

But before that, Chennai Super Kings had the chance to rope in the player, as per Harbhajan Singh. The former spinner revealed that he noticed Varun in the CSK nets and advised the five-time IPL-winning squad to go after him.

In an interaction with Times of India, he said, , “First things first, he is a champion bowler. I first saw him at the Chennai Super Kings nets in 2018 where he was a practice bowler. I told the CSK management to pick him straight away — which they didn’t — because even then he was often unplayable in the nets."

IPL 2026 to Start On March 28

The BCCI announced the schedule for the 1st phase of IPL 2026. Defending champions RCB will host Sunrisers Hyderabad at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28, followed by a MI vs KKR clash on March 29. Rajasthan Royals will host CSK and Mumbai Indians in Guwahati in IPL 2026, while Punjab Kings will play their earlier home games at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.

Dates for the next phase will only be announced after the dates for the next Assembly Elections are announced, as things stand.