Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been handed a major blow as Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to an injury, according to reports. Head coach Abhishek Nayar confirmed the news during a media interaction on March 20 (Friday).
“Well, I think firstly, it is a big blow because Harshit has been an integral part of the team for the last couple of seasons, also the championship season. Over the last year, he’s really grown as a cricketer, so we always miss Harshit Rana, not easy to replace him,” Nayar told the media in Kolkata.
“But having said that, over the last few days, we’ve looked at a few bowlers. We’re trying to evaluate with the help of our leadership group as to who fits in and who can do that role to the rest of their progress. So I think we’re still evaluating that, having made that decision. But hopefully, soon we’ll identify someone who we think can make a good replacement for him.”
Rana also missed the T20 World Cup 2026 as he suffered a ligament injury in his right knee during the warm-up match against South Africa. He has undergone surgery since then and was also seen using support to walk during the recent BCCI awards function. Nayar also confirmed that the all-rounder is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and an announcement regarding his replacement will be made soon.
Rana has been part of KKR since 2022 and has 40 wickets in 34 matches for the franchise. He was the leading wicket-taker for his side in the 2024 season that saw KKR claim the IPL title for the first time in a decade. He was retained by KKR ahead of IPL 2026 for INR 4 crore.
Meanwhile, Nayar also confirmed their INR 18 crore Sri Lankan signing Matheesha Mathirana will be available at his disposal in mid-April.
