Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Harshit Rana is expected to miss a significant portion of the upcoming Indian Premier League due to a knee surgery he recently underwent. The BCCI has not set a specific timeline for his return as he continues his rehabilitation for a ligament strain in his right knee sustained during a T20 World Cup warm-up match against South Africa.
Rana was forced to withdraw from the T20 World Cup after the injury and subsequent surgery, with Mohammed Siraj taking his place in the squad. Despite being awarded the Best International Debutant at the BCCI Naman Awards, Rana’s absence will be a blow to KKR, who are already dealing with other fitness concerns.
Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is also recovering from a calf strain suffered during the T20 World Cup, while KKR is without Mustafizur Rahman due to geopolitical reasons. The franchise has brought in Zimbabwe quick Blessing Muzarabani as a replacement.
KKR’s pace options include Vaibhav Arora, Akash Deep, Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, and all-rounders Cameron Green and Ramandeep Singh. The team will begin pre-season training in Kolkata before facing Mumbai Indians in their opening match on March 29.
The franchise will then host Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants in the initial phase of the tournament. Published on Mar 17, 2026.
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