Harshit Rana Out of IPL 2026 with Knee Injury

Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the entire Indian Premier League 2026 season due to a knee injury sustained during a warmup match ahead of the T20 World Cup in Navi Mumbai last year. The 24-year-old, a key figure in the team's 2024 title win, underwent surgery in February and faces a recovery timeline that extends beyond the tournament's start.

Rana injured his right knee while bowling against South Africa at D.Y. Patil Stadium, limiting him to just one over before leaving the field in pain. The Board of Control for Cricket in India declared him unfit for the T20 World Cup, where he was replaced by Mohammed Siraj. Medical sources confirmed the diagnosis as a lateral meniscus tear, repaired surgically on February 9 at a Mumbai hospital. Rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru is underway, but officials estimate a three-to-five-month recovery, sidelining him for IPL 2026.

The Delhi-born pacer had been retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for 4 crore rupees ahead of the 2025 season, where he claimed 15 wickets in 13 matches despite an economy rate of 10.18. His breakout 2024 campaign saw him take 19 wickets, the second-most...