Kolkata Knight Riders suffer fresh blow as another Indian pacer ruled out of Indian Premier League 2026

Three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders suffered another blow to their pace attack as Indian seamer Akash Deep was ruled out for at least eight weeks due to a stress reaction in his lower back on Saturday, effectively ruling him out of the Indian Premier League.

The injury also raises doubts about his availability for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in early June.

Akash Deep was not part of the team’s preparatory camp and was instead at the BCCI Centre of Excellence for rehabilitation. His absence adds to the growing worries in KKR’s fast-bowling department. The 29-year-old Bengal pacer, last seen in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Jammu and Kashmir, looked short of full fitness, bowling only 13 overs in the first innings and fewer than seven in the second.

Which Indian pacer is ruled out for the Kolkata Knight Riders

Akash Deep is the latest player to join Kolkata Knight Riders’ growing injury list, which already includes Indian pacer Harshit Rana and their ₹18-crore Sri Lankan recruit Matheesha Pathirana, further weakening the team’s fast-bowling options.

"Akash Deep has a stress reaction in his lower back. It has come back, and it might take 8-12 weeks to heal. He will not play in the IPL and is very unlikely to be selected against Afghanistan,” a BCCI source told PTI.

He has been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and did not join KKR’s preparatory camp, which started on Wednesday. "It will take time for healing, adapting to workload, and completing Return To Play protocols. The estimated recovery is about 10 weeks, but it could take longer," the board source added.

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Injury concerns pile up for Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026

Kolkata Knight Riders, who finished eighth in their title defence last season, are facing a growing injury crisis ahead of IPL 2026. The team is already without Harshit Rana, who is recovering from a ligament strain in his right knee sustained during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against South Africa. Rana missed the tournament entirely, and his continued absence is a significant blow given his contribution to the team over recent seasons.

Left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman was released earlier this year following a BCCI directive, prompting KKR to bring in Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani as his replacement. Meanwhile, Matheesha Pathirana is undergoing rehabilitation with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and is expected to be match-fit by mid-April.

Speaking at KKR’s pre-season press conference, Abhishek Nayar highlighted Rana’s absence as a major loss and noted that the leadership group is evaluating other bowlers to fill the gap. With both Rana and Pathirana unavailable for at least part of the tournament, KKR’s pace attack faces challenges in terms of both player availability and experience, leaving the franchise to adapt carefully ahead of the IPL season.

Replacement options for Kolkata Knight Riders before IPL 2026 kickoff

The Ajinkya Rahane-led franchise has been actively scouting replacements for their injured pacers. KKR held trials featuring several IPL-experienced fast bowlers, including Akash Madhwal, Navdeep Saini, Simarjeet Singh, KM Asif, and Sandeep Warrier.

Among them, Madhwal, who caught attention with a stunning 5/5 for the Mumbai Indians in the 2023 Eliminator, appears to be leading the race, though the franchise has yet to officially announce a replacement.

With Akash Deep and Harshit Rana unavailable, KKR will now have to rely heavily on their remaining domestic options, including Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, and a fit-again Umran Malik.

KKR are set to begin their IPL 2026 campaign against the Mumbai Indians on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They will then face Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, followed by a clash against last year’s finalists, Punjab Kings, on April 6, also at Eden Gardens. In their fourth match, KKR will take on Lucknow Super Giants on April 9 at Eden Gardens.