Akash Deep injury is another major blow for KKR.
As if Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) didn’t have enough concerns already, Akash Deep injury has ruled the pacer out of IPL 2026. KKR bought him for INR 1 crore at the auction.
A few reports earlier indicated that Akash is currently rehabbing at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and might not be fit in time to participate in the tournament. His last competitive outing was in the Ranji Trophy against Jammu & Kashmir in February, where he sustained a lower back stress reaction.
During his rehab, Akash Deep felt discomfort again and returned to CoE for further treatment, suggesting that the injury might be more severe than initially anticipated. Hence, KKR will be without his services for the full season, and they will announce a replacement soon.
Akash Deep injury comes as a massive blow for the Knight Riders, who are already without Harshit Rana and Mustafizur Rahman, and Matheesha Pathirana’s availability remains in doubt at the moment. Several players have been trialling with KKR ahead of the season, and two of them will likely become part of the main squad after their second practice game.
Akash Deep is not a T20 specialist and doesn’t boast a great record either, but his availability would still have been a big boost for KKR. He understands the conditions at Eden Gardens better than most other pacers in the setup, having played all his domestic cricket for Bengal.
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Deep would have been a handy new-ball operator since he gets some movement off the pitch and knows what lengths work well here for fast bowlers. His presence would have allowed KKR to use someone like Vaibhav Arora more in the back end of the innings, along with Pathirana, by frontloading his overs.
Additionally, they also need a pacer who can add some batting value and ease pressure on the main batters in Harshit Rana’s absence. Akash is a handy batter in the lower order who can whack pace in slog overs with a strong power game, should the need arise.
He would have also brought international experience to a relatively inexperienced KKR group, having played for India in Tests. Unfortunately, Akash Deep injury concerns have continued to restrict his progress as a player, and he will now focus on regaining fitness before the Afghanistan Test after IPL 2026.
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