Kolkata Knight Riders have called up a number of fast bowlers for late trials as they look to replace Harshit Rana in the 2026 Indian Premier League season. Rana, who sustained a knee injury during the T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against the South African national cricket team, did not recover in time for the tournament.
KKR had earlier called up former Chennai Super Kings pacers KM Asif and Simarjeet Singh. Now ex-Mumbai Indians pacer Akash Madhwal and ex-Royal Challengers Bengaluru quick Navdeep Saini have also tried out.
Read the full article
The selection suggests that KKR may not be looking for a similar replacement for Rana, who offers variety and the ability to hit the deck hard. Madhwal and Asif are more skittish due to their relatively shorter stature, while Simarjeet brings significant pace and a tendency to operate at heavy length.
In Rana’s absence, KKR are likely to rely on the bowling of Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who was bought for Rs 25.20 crore in last year’s auction.
KKR will also take faith in the recovery of Matheesha Pathirana, one of their most expensive signings. After being ruled out midway through the T20 World Cup with a calf strain, Pathirana is said to be recovering well and is expected to join the team before the tournament begins.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS TRAIN AT EDEN
Kolkata Knight Riders have started training at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata under the management of Abhishek Nayar. The former India assistant coach, who made a name for himself with KKR, made a comeback to the franchise last season when he was abruptly dropped from the Indian team.
The former Mumbai cricketer helped revive several careers at KKR, including the likes of Rinku Singh and Dinesh Karthik. Nayar would be hoping that he can work his magic on a bigger scale and help the team get back to the playoffs after a terrible run out last season.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
March 20, 2026 1:56 PM IST
