Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fast bowler Harshit Rana was seen using crutches during the BCCI Naman Awards in Mumbai on Sunday, raising questions about his recovery. Set to remember Indian Premier League 2026 Upcoming Season.The fast bowler attended the BCCI awards ceremony but was unable to walk on stage to receive the award for Best International Debut (Men). IPL chairman Arun Dhumal instead presented the honor to Rana after walking on stage himself.A video of Rana walking with crutches went viral on social media, fueling speculation about the extent of his injury.Rana suffered a knee injury during the T20 World Cup warm-up match against South Africa earlier this year.The injury proved serious enough to rule him out of India’s T20 World Cup campaign, with Mohammad Siraj called into the squad as his replacement.The 24-year-old underwent surgery in Mumbai on February 9 but will not recover in time to play for KKR in the cash-rich league.
KKR’s injury problems
Rana played a pivotal role in KKR’s 2024 title-winning campaign, returning with 19 wickets, helping him become a regular feature for India across all formats. He was retained by the franchise for Rs 4 crore ahead of the 2025 season, and took 15 wickets in 13 games.The situation becomes more difficult for KKR as Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman is no longer part of the squad, while Sri Lankan pacer Muttisha Pathirana is still dealing with fitness concerns.The franchise has signed Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Mazarbani as an alternative option, who will join the squad for the upcoming IPL season.Apart from Rana, the team’s pace attack currently includes Vaibhav Arora, Imran Malik, Karthik Tyagi and Akash Deep. Without the young pacer, the unit may look less experienced going into IPL 2026.
