Akash Deep ruled out of IPL 2026 for this reason
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have suffered another setback with the news that pacer Akash Deep has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. A top official from KKR confirmed the development to Cricbuzz, saying, "Unfortunately, he is out of the IPL, ruled out for the season." The 29-year-old Bengal pacer was bought by KKR for his base price of ₹1 crore at last year's mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.
Injury status
Akash Deep is undergoing rehabilitation
Akash has not joined the KKR camp, which started on March 18 in Kolkata. He is believed to be undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. However, the exact nature of his injury is still unclear. Reports suggest that there has been some communication between CoE managers and KKR regarding the player's condition.
Concerns
KKR's injury woes worsen
Akash's ouster is an addition to KKR's injury woes. Harshit Rana, another pacer of the team, is likely to miss a major chunk of the upcoming season, as per ESPNcricinfo. The news comes as he continues his rehabilitation after undergoing knee surgery in February. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is likely to miss the early part of IPL 2026.
Statement
When will Pathirana join KKR?
KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar confirmed that Pathirana will miss the first few games of the season. "The latest update is that he is with the Sri Lankan cricket board for his rehab," he told the media during KKR's pre-season press conference. He added that they expect Pathirana to be match-fit by mid-April. "Somewhere mid-April is when they feel he'll be match fit."
Team composition
KKR will have to rely on other fast bowlers
Amid Rana, Pathirana, and Akash's absence, KKR will have to rely on other fast bowlers like Blessing Muzarabani, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, and Kartik Tyagi. All-rounders Cameron Green and Ramandeep Singh also add to the team's pace attack. KKR's first match of the 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.