NEW DELHI: It was a night of personal triumph for Varun Chakaravarthy, even as Kolkata Knight Riders endured yet another crushing defeat in IPL 2026. The Indian mystery spinner etched his name into the KKR history books by becoming the first Indian bowler to claim 100 wickets for the franchise in the Indian Premier League.

The milestone came during KKR’s match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, when Chakaravarthy dismissed Jos Buttler in the 10th over of GT’s chase. The wicket triggered a brief but emotional celebration among the KKR players. He followed it up soon after by removing Washington Sundar, taking him to 101 and eventually finishing with 102 wickets for KKR in the IPL.

With this achievement, Varun joined an elite group of bowlers who have consistently delivered for the Knight Riders. He now sits third on KKR’s all-time wicket-takers list, behind only Sunil Narine (196 wickets) and Andre Russell (122 wickets). Narine also holds the record for most wickets for a single franchise in IPL history.

Varun’s 102 IPL wickets have come in just 88 matches. His journey began with a solitary wicket for Punjab Kings in his debut season in 2019 before he found a long-term home at KKR, where his variations and unorthodox action have made him a constant threat in the middle overs.

KKR’s Struggles Continue Despite Individual Brilliance

Unfortunately for the two-time champions, Chakaravarthy’s historic moment was overshadowed by another disheartening loss. Chasing 181, Gujarat Titans pulled off a dominant five-wicket victory, thanks largely to a masterful 86 from Shubman Gill. The opener ensured GT remained in control throughout, particularly during the powerplay, denying KKR any chance to regain momentum.

Earlier, KKR’s innings was kept afloat by a resilient 79 from Cameron Green, who battled a top-order collapse. Despite key partnerships, he lacked meaningful support, as wickets fell in clusters. The GT pace attack, led by Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, exploited early fragility with the new ball, setting the tone for the rest of the match.

For Varun, the night was bittersweet—a personal landmark in a season that continues to unravel for his team. KKR remain winless and sit at the bottom of the points table, their campaign in serious jeopardy. Yet, Chakaravarthy’s consistency offers a glimmer of hope for a turnaround.

“Reaching 100 wickets for KKR is a dream I didn’t know I had until now,” said Varun in the post-match presentation. “It’s an honor to be in the same list as Sunil and Russ. Hopefully, we can start turning things around as a team soon.”