New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered another big blow on Saturday as their pace bowling resources got further depleted ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) with India seamer Akash Deep being ruled out of the 2026 season.
Akash Deep was acquired by KKR for his base price of Rs 1 crore at last year’s mini-auction in Abu Dhabi. “Yes, Akash Deep is ruled out for the upcoming IPL season. He’s not left yet for the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru for the rehab, but it’s confirmed that he’s unavailable for this season,” said a franchise official to IANS on Saturday.
Akash Deep had not joined KKR’s pre-season camp, which began in Kolkata on March 18, nor was he spotted in the intra-squad practice game played at the Eden Gardens on Friday evening.
IANS understands that Akash Deep is suspected to have picked up a stress reaction in his lower back, which typically takes 6-12 weeks for full recovery. It is understood that Akash Deep showed signs of suffering from this injury while turning out for Bengal in their Ranji Trophy semifinal against Jammu & Kashmir at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani from February 15-18.
The setback compounds KKR’s fast-bowling concerns, with India’s seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana already sidelined after undergoing surgery for a meniscus tear, while Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana is awaiting clearance from his board after a shoulder injury cut short his time in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup.
As of now, KKR’s fast bowling contingent includes Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Blessing Muzarabani, and Kartik Tyagi, while Cameron Green and Ramandeep Singh are the all-round seam-bowling options. KKR will open their IPL 2026 campaign against five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29.
KKR have been looking at replacements in the fast-bowling department by organising trials at the Eden Gardens. The likes of Navdeep Saini, Akash Madhwal, Simarjeet Singh, Sandeep Warrier, KM Asif, and Sunil Kumar have been attending the trials to fill the spots left vacant by injuries to Rana and now Akash Deep.
–IANS
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