Harshit Ranaโs injury has disrupted Kolkata Knight Ridersโ bowling unit ahead of the IPL 2026. They were forced to release Mustafizur Rahman earlier and signed Blessing Muzarabani instead, who is an excellent addition, but has little experience of playing in the cash-rich league. Rana, in the meantime, suffered a ligament strain in his right knee during Indiaโs T20 World Cup warm-up fixture against South Africa and has since undergone surgery. With rehabilitation underway and no clear return date, the franchise has begun assessing replacement options.
Among those under consideration are Simarjeet Singh, KM Asif and Sandeep Warrier. Simarjeet, previously associated with Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, has featured in 14 IPL matches, claiming 11 wickets. Known for his pace and yorkers, he showed promise in 2022 but had a quieter run last season. He also had a remarkable season in the DPL 2025.
Meanwhile, Asif and Warrier were invited for trials during the teamโs opening training session at Eden Gardens, while Simarjeet had already impressed during an earlier phase in Mumbai. Asif, who has IPL experience with Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, brings raw pace but has dealt with recurring fitness concerns. Warrier, a former KKR player, offers familiarity, having represented the franchise across multiple seasons.
Update on Matheesha Pathirana
Another uncertainty surrounds Matheesha Pathirana, who is yet to receive clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket following a calf injury sustained during the T20 World Cup. His delayed arrival has added to KKRโs concerns in the bowling department.
โThey are yet to confirm about his joining. We are in constant touch and almost every day tickets are being booked and cancelled for him,โ a KKR source told PTI.
KKR still retain several domestic options such as Vaibhav Arora, Akash Deep, Kartik Tyagi and Umran Malik, the latter recently returning to full fitness.
On the other hand, New Zealand players Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra are expected to join shortly, alongside Varun Chakravarthy and Cameron Green. Akash Deep is also scheduled to join in the coming days.