Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Harshit Rana will miss the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The right-arm pacer underwent surgery in Mumbai on February 9 after suffering a severe knee injury during a warm-up match against South Africa before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The knee injury forced the team management to release him from the T20 World Cup 2026. The selectors named Mohammed Siraj as his official replacement for that event. The 24-year-old will focus on his medical rehabilitation to regain his fitness for future cricket competitions.
According to the Times of India, the Kolkata franchise has not finalized a replacement player yet. The management plans to back their available domestic bowlers like Akash Deep, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, and Kartik Tyagi, giving them opportunities to fill the void.
Harshit Rana made his debut for the Kolkata franchise during the 2022 edition. He has played 34 matches and taken 40 wickets. He played a massive role during their 2024 championship victory, taking 19 wickets. During the 2025 season, he picked up 15 wickets in 13 matches.
The selectors fast-tracked Harshit Rana into the national team. The pacer has taken 26 wickets in 14 ODIs while adding 124 runs with the bat. He has also claimed nine wickets in nine matches in the shortest format.
The fast bowler also earned his spot in the traditional format. He made his Test debut during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The young cricketer has secured four wickets in two matches.
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