Bad news for Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR after Harshit Rana, another pacer ruled out of IPL 2026, he is…

Injury-hit Kolkata Knight Riders face another blow with star pacer ruled out, leaving the team searching for replacements before IPL 2026 begins.

Shah Rukh Khan, KKR, Kolkata Knight Riders, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, IPL 2026, Indian Premier League, Akash Deep ruled out IPL 2026, Matheesha Pathirana, KKR vs MI, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians — Bad news for Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR after Harshit Rana, another pacer ruled out of IPL 2026

IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders injury concerns deepens ahead of IPL 2026 as star pacer Akash Deep has been ruled out. The fast bowler is yet to join the KKR camp, he is currently undergoing injury management at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, though details about his injury have not been disclosed.

Sources suggest that the Centre’s management has been in touch with the franchise, keeping them updated on the player’s recovery status.

As per sources, he is still in the recovery phase, and a final call on his availability will be taken once his medical assessment is complete.

A senior official from Kolkata Knight Riders has confirmed the development to Cricbuzz, “Unfortunately, he is out of the IPL, ruled out for the season,” the KKR official said.

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The 29-year-old star pacer for Bengal pacer was acquired by KKR at his base price of Rs 1 crore during the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi

Akash Deep was part of Lucknow Super Giants last season

Akash Deep’s frequent injuries have repeatedly kept him out of action for both India and his IPL teams. Since making his IPL debut in 2022, he has managed to play just 14 matches across four seasons, picking up 10 wickets. He was part of Lucknow Super Giants last season after being bought for Rs 8 crore at the 2025 auction, but was released after just one year.

With Akash now unavailable, Kolkata Knight Riders are left searching for a replacement. The franchise had earlier been unsure about bringing Harshit Rana’s replacement, who was also ruled out ahead of IPL 2026 due to a knee surgery. There was a feeling within the camp that finding a like-for-like replacement for a player of Rana’s quality would be difficult.

On Friday, Abhishek Nayar, head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, had dropped strong hints about bringing in a replacement—possibly anticipating that Akash Deep could also miss the season “Hopefully soon, in a couple of days I think. Obviously Harshit is with the BCCI at the CoE. Once we get an update the medical team will communicate to us. We’ll try to evaluate what we are picking before we make the announcement. (We) will take us a few more days, most probably before we leave for Mumbai,” Nayar said.

Matheesha Pathirana is yet to receive the required NOC

The latest blow has further deepened the bowling concerns for Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the new season. The franchise had made a big investment in Matheesha Pathirana, signing him for ₹18 crore, but the pacer is yet to receive the required NOC from his board and is likely to miss at least a part of the tournament.

KKR will face Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2026 campaign opener at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29.

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The Times Of Bengal