Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will have to cope without Akash Deep in IPL 2026 after the seamer failed to recover from a lower-back stress injury in time for the tournament. He has been ruled out for the entire season and is expected to need another three months before he is fully fit again.
Akash has struggled with recurring injuries that have repeatedly disrupted his availability for both India and his IPL sides. Since making his league debut in 2022, he has appeared in only 14 matches across four seasons, taking 10 wickets. In the previous IPL edition, he represented Lucknow SuperGiants, who signed him for Rs 8 crore at the 2025 auction before releasing him after just one season.
The pacer was absent from KKR’s preparatory camp as he continued rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. His unavailability further compounds the team’s growing concerns over its fast-bowling resources.
The setback not only sidelines the Bengal quick for the upcoming IPL campaign but also puts his participation in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in early June in serious doubt.
“Akash Deep has a stress reaction on his lower back. There has been recurrence and it might take 8-12 weeks to heal. He is not going to play the IPL and is very unlikely to be selected against Afghanistan,” BCCI sources were quoted saying.
More Read
With Akash ruled out, KKR are now likely to intensify their search for a replacement. The franchise had earlier remained undecided about naming a substitute even for Harshit Rana, who had been ruled out due to knee surgery before the training camp began. Within the squad, there was a feeling that suitable alternatives matching Rana’s calibre were not readily available.
On Friday, head coach Abhishek Nayar had indicated that the team could soon move towards securing a replacement, seemingly aware of Akash’s uncertain fitness status. “Hopefully soon, in a couple of days I think. Obviously Harshit is with the BCCI at the CoE. Once we get an update the medical team will communicate to us. We’ll try to evaluate what we are picking before we make the announcement. (We) will take us a few more days, most probably before we leave for Mumbai,” Nayar said.
While Rana has already been ruled out, Matheesha Pathirana is also expected to miss parts of the first half of the competition, leaving the squad short on both availability and experience in the pace department.
More Read
Ahead of the season, KKR had already adjusted their combination by signing Blessing Muzarabani as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman. However, beyond that change, their fast-bowling depth now appears limited.
At present, the Indian pace options in the squad include Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik and Kartik Tyagi. The team management also has the flexibility to utilise all-rounder Cameron Green for a few overs if required.
KKR will begin their IPL 2026 campaign with an away match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29.
