Kolkata, March 20 In a major setback for Kolkata Knight Riders, fast bowler Harshit Rana was ruled out of the entire 2026 IPL season due to the ligament injury he sustained during a warm-up match ahead of the recent T20 World Cup.
The fast bowler suffered a ligament strain in his right knee during India's T20 World Cup warm-up game against South Africa, following which he underwent surgery in February, requiring an extensive rehabilitation process.
"It's a significant setback because Harshit Rana has been an integral part of this team for the last couple of seasons, including the championship season. He has really grown as a cricketer over the past year," said KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar, without providing a confirmed timeline for Rana's return to action.
"We will definitely miss Harshit Rana; it's not easy to replace him. However, over the past few days, we have been evaluating a few bowlers to see who fits the bill and who can perform that role to the best of their abilities. Hopefully, we will make a decision in a couple of days," Nayar added.
The injury to Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana has also disrupted KKR's plans ahead of the new season.
"Matheesha Pathirana, who has requested NOC to participate in the 2026 IPL, has not yet undergone the Physical Performance Test, as he is still undergoing rehabilitation to recover from the injury. He will undergo the tests upon completion of the recovery and rehabilitation programs," said the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) later in a statement.
Navdeep Saini, Akash Madhwal, Simarjeet Singh, Sandeep Warrier, and KM Asif are among the fast bowlers who were seen at Eden Gardens this week, training for the IPL.
The IPL starts on March 28, and KKR's campaign begins against Mumbai Indians on March 29, followed by their first home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2.
Regarding Varun Chakravarthy's form, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane believes that the break after the T20 World Cup will be beneficial for the spinner, who conceded a lot of runs during the event at home in February-March.
"I don't see any problem with Varun's bowling ability... The opposition batters played him (Varun Chakravarthy) really well in the T20 World Cup. Let's give credit to them rather than talking about Varun," Rahane said.
"I think this 10-day break really helped him, especially after coming off a high-intensity tournament directly into another high-intensity tournament," Rahane added.
Chakravarthy was the top wicket-taker in the event, alongside Jasprit Bumrah, with 14 wickets, but conceded 9.25 runs per over.