Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Abhishek Nayar on Wednesday expressed confidence that spinner Varun Chakaravarthy would bounce back in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Varun conceded a lot of runs in the T20 World Cup and in KKR’s IPL opener against Mumbai Indians (0/48 in four overs) at the Wankhede Stadium the other night.

However, Nayar solidly backed the spinner. “He has gone through a lot more than this. He has accomplished a lot over the past year, which has increased expectations…Statistically, he’s pretty much bowled the similar speeds that he always has.

“Hawkeye suggests he has bowled the same lengths, but sometimes players play you better,” Nayar said on the eve of KKR’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“It (Wankhede) was a pitch that challenged all spinners…and Varun bowls (in) those phases where he’s always going to be challenged. As a franchise, as support staff, we back him. Teams are playing him well. Doesn’t mean he can’t come back. It just means that it’s another challenge in his life.

“At times you want to protect a bowler and bring him at a time where you feel he can be more effective. But the nature of the game is (such) that sometimes you want to put your best players in a position to perform. If he picks up wickets there, he’s a different bowler.”

Nayar said the support staff, including mentor D.J. Bravo and bowling coach Tim Southee, had been working with the less experienced bowlers in the side to bring out the best in them.

Leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was on Thursday (August 28, 2025) included in Sri Lanka’s 16-member squad for the Asia Cup to be played in the UAE from September 9.

Hasaranga is not a part of the Sri Lanka squad for their tour of Zimbabwe, which begins with the first ODI in Harare on Friday (August 29, 2025), with the island nation playing one more ODI and three T20Is after the tour-opener.

Hasaranga had suffered a hamstring injury during their series against Bangladesh, which Sri Lanka lost at home. He finds a place in the squad for the Asia Cup, in which Sri Lanka has also named two young batters in Kamil Mishara and Nuwanidu Fernando.

Along with Hasaranga, Sri Lanka have Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana among spin bowling options.

Sri Lanka, who suffered a heavy defeat in the last Asia Cup final against India which was held in ODI format in their backyard in 2023, are placed in Group B along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hongkong.

Before the Super Four stage, Sri Lanka will face Bangladesh on September 13, Hong Kong on September 15 and Afghanistan on September 18.

Squad

Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.