Kolkata Knight Riders are going through a difficult period as they are losing crucial players due to injuries, and the list is getting bigger with the latest casualty being India pacer Akash Deep.

KKR will be missing India pacer Harshit Rana due to a knee ligament injury, while Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana will be missing the initial few matches of the 2026 season due to a calf strain. Pathirana is undergoing rehabilitation, and the pacer’s availability will be confirmed only after the Physical Performance Test, according to Sri Lanka Cricket.

As per reports, Akash Deep won’t be available for the entire season, and his recovery might take another three months.

Akash Deep was bought for INR 1 crore during the auctions, and after his injury, the franchise is looking for someone who can replace him. The 29-year-old pacer has struggled with injuries as he has played just 14 matches in his IPL career so far, claiming 10 wickets.

On the other hand, the KKR team management might have to review their plans as they are working on team combinations to fill the gaps in the pace department by keeping an eye on other options like Akash Madhwal, Navdeep Saini, Simarjeet Singh and Sandeep Warrier.

 The team consists of other options like Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Umran Malik and Cameron Green in the pace department. Meanwhile, Akash Deep is under rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.

Recently, Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani was bought by KKR after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahim was removed due to the ongoing political tensions between India and Bangladesh. With some of their key pacers missing out due to injuries, KKR team management and the franchise face a big challenge in finding suitable replacements in the pace department.