IPL 2026: Why CSK and KKR players are wearing black armbands - Explained
Kolkata Knight Riders players wore black armbands during their IPL 2026 match against Chennai Super Kings to mourn the passing of former India cricketer C. D. Gopinath.
Gopinath was a member of India's first-ever Test-winning team and a significant figure in early Indian cricket history.
NEW DELHI: Players of Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings were seen wearing black armbands during their IPL 2026 clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to field against the five-time champions. Rahane made one change to the XI, bringing in Varun Chakaravarthy in place of Navdeep Saini.
"Looking to bowl first. I think the last game was really good for us. Unfortunately, the result didn't go our way.
But I thought the kind of cricket we played, guys are getting that confidence from the last game. It's all about starting fresh. It's important when things are not going your way, it's important to have that belief, stay positive and having those small, small moments in T20 format is really important.