Harshit Rana likely to miss major chunk of IPL 2026
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fast bowler Harshit Rana is likely to miss a major chunk of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season, as per ESPNcricinfo. The news comes as he continues his rehabilitation after undergoing knee surgery in February. Rana had suffered a knee strain during India's T20 World Cup warm-up match against South Africa.
Injury details
Rana suffered ligament strain in right knee
Rana, who was awarded Best International Debutant at the BCCI awards on Sunday, had suffered a ligament strain in his right knee. This happened after he pulled out of the warm-up game against South Africa after bowling just one over. He was replaced by Mohammed Siraj for the main tournament, who played only one match - India's opening game against USA.
Team composition
KKR will have to rely on other fast bowlers
With Rana's absence, KKR will have to rely on other fast bowlers like Matheesha Pathirana, Vaibhav Arora, Akash Deep, Umran Malik, and Kartik Tyagi. All-rounders Cameron Green and Ramandeep Singh also add to the team's pace attack. However, there were concerns over Pathirana's fitness after he was ruled out of the T20 World Cup with a calf strain against Australia in the first round.
Season opener
KKR's first match of IPL 2026 season
KKR's first match of the IPL 2026 season is against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29. The team will also face Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants in home evening games as per the schedule announced so far. Notably, there is also uncertainty over Matheesha Pathirana's participation in IPL 2026. The player had injured himself during the T20 World Cup and is currently recovering.