Kolkata Knight Riders are weighing options to replace injured pacer Harshit Rana, who is likely to miss the entire IPL 2026 season after undergoing knee surgery. The franchise has conducted trials with Simarjeet Singh, KM Asif, and Sandeep Warrier to assess their readiness.
Rana suffered a ligament strain in his right knee during India’s T20 World Cup warm-up against South Africa earlier this month. His absence leaves a significant gap in KKR’s pace attack, prompting the team to explore domestic replacements.
Among the contenders, Simarjeet Singh is known for his disciplined new-ball spells, KM Asif brings raw pace and aggression, while Sandeep Warrier offers experience and reliability from his previous IPL stints. Each option provides a different balance of skills for the franchise.
KKR have already reshaped their bowling unit by releasing Mustafizur Rahman and signing Blessing Muzarabani. With Matheesha Pathirana’s availability uncertain, the choice of Rana’s replacement will be crucial for maintaining depth in the pace department.
The franchise is expected to finalize its decision soon, with the selected player joining the squad ahead of the upcoming IPL fixtures. Analysts say the move will determine how well KKR can adapt to the setback and sustain their campaign momentum.
