Kolkata Knight Riders enter IPL 2026 with a depleted pace attack after losing both Harshit Rana and Akash Deep to season-ending injuries. The two Indian pacers will play no part in the tournament, leaving a significant void in KKR’s starting plans just days before their opening match against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on March 29.
Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana is also unavailable for the start of the campaign, though his absence is expected to be temporary. He is recovering from a calf strain and should return within the first few weeks of the season. Still, his absence for the opener adds to the pressure on KKR’s bowling unit at the worst possible time.
The management is now working through its options, with bench players likely to step up and fill the gaps left by three frontline pacers.
What Happened to Harshit Rana
In February 2026, Harshit suffered a knee injury during a warm-up match against South Africa. Doctors diagnosed him with a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. The surgery now keeps him away for the whole 2026 season of IPL.
Rana performed well over the last two years of the Indian Premier League. He took 19 wickets in IPL 2024 and followed that with 15 wickets in 2025. Besides his bowling, he contributes runs as a lower-order batter. Coach Abhishek Nayar describes this loss as a “big blow” because Rana grew significantly as a cricketer during his time with the franchise.
How Was Akash Deep Injured
Kolkata Knight Riders’ pacer Akash Deep will also miss the entire IPL 2026 season. KKR bought the 29-year-old Bengal pacer for INR 1 crore during the mini-auction. He has not joined the training camp in Kolkata, which started on March 18. He remains at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for rehabilitation.
While the officials have not shared the exact details of his injury, his absence weakens the team’s pace options. Since his debut in 2022, Deep has appeared in only 14 matches and taken 10 wickets. Last year, he played for Lucknow Super Giants after they bought him for INR 8 crore, but they let him go after one season.
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When is Matheesha Pathirana Returning
Matheesha Pathirana is expected to join KKR by mid-April, according to coach Nayar. Before he can travel to India, he must pass a mandatory physical performance test in Colombo, after which Sri Lanka Cricket will issue him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) clearing him to participate in the IPL.
KKR paid INR 18 crore to secure the Sri Lankan slinger, but the investment will not pay off from the start of the season. Pathirana suffered a calf and hamstring injury during the T20 World Cup 2026, which forced him out of the tournament after just three appearances. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation under the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and has not yet been cleared to join the franchise.
KKR has not signed a temporary overseas replacement for Pathirana in the meantime.
Summary of KKR’s Pace Crisis
| Player | Status | Reason for Absence | Expected Return |
| Harshit Rana | Ruled Out | Knee Surgery (Meniscus Tear) | Entire Season |
| Akash Deep | Ruled Out | Undisclosed (Rehabilitation) | Entire Season |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Missing Early Games | Calf/Hamstring Strain | Mid-April 2026 |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Unavailable | Released (BCCI Directive) after India-Bangladesh geopolitical tensions | – |
| BLessing Muzarabani | Available | Replacement Player | Ready to Play |
KKR now has a shortage of experienced fast bowlers. KKR started with seven pacers in their squad for IPL 2026. However, the team lost three players from their starting XI to injuries and a fourth to a board directive. This leaves only four pacers from the original group.
The loss of Rana and Deep removes 34 wickets of recent IPL experience from the domestic bowling pool. Additionally, the team must now rely on younger or less experienced players to bowl during the “death overs.” Pathirana’s INR 18 crore price tag shows how much the team depends on him.
Who Will Replace Them
KKR is now in “emergency scouting mode” at Eden Gardens. The coaching staff is scouting several unpicked bowlers to find a replacement for Harshit Rana. Players like Akash Madhwal, KM Asif, Sandeep Warrier, Navdeep Saini and Simarjeet Singh have attended trials recently.
Coach Nayar expects to announce a new signing within a few days, likely before the team travels to Mumbai on March 25. The team previously replaced Mustafizur Rahman with Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani, who brings height and pace to the attack.
What Next for KKR
Despite the crisis, KKR’s team mentor Dwayne Bravo explained that it is all part of the game. He praised the depth of the Indian cricket team. He believes players like Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi and Umran Malik can be possible replacements.
Additionally, Bravo feels confident because KKR has one of the best spin attacks in the tournament. The spin bowlers, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, will likely carry a heavier workload in IPL 2026. Captain Ajinkya Rahane and Coach Nayar believe a short break helped Chakravarthy recharge for the IPL.
The team will face Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium for their first game. They will play Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, and Punjab Kings in their first three games at home. The team will also have players like Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Rachin Ravindra, who will join the camp late in the week.
While they wait for Pathirana to return in April, head coach Nayar is expected to announce the replacement signings and finalize the starting lineup before their season opener on March 29.
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