Kolkata Knight Riders have announced Navdeep Saini as the injury replacement for Harshit Ranas, the IPL body confirmed on Wednesday, March 25. Meanwhile, GT have announced Kulwant Khejroliya as a replacement for Prithviraj Yarri.
“Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) have picked Navdeep Saini and Kulwant Khejroliya, respectively, as player replacements for TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026,” the IPL body wrote in a statement.
“Right-arm pacer Navdeep Saini has scalped 23 wickets in 32 IPL matches played so far, in addition to 23 wickets in international cricket for India. He will replace the injured Harshit and join KKR for INR 75 Lakh. Meanwhile, Khejroliya replaces the injured Prithviraj Yarra in GT. The left-arm pacer, who has 6 IPL wickets to his name, has previously featured for GT, KKR, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He will join GT for INR 30 Lakh,” it added.
Harshit Rana underwent surgery for knee injury
Rana suffered a ligament strain in his right knee during a warm-up match against South Africa ahead of the T20 World Cup, where he could bowl only one over. He was replaced by Mohammed Siraj for the T20 World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, Rana subsequently underwent knee surgery and is currently in rehabilitation, which is why he has been ruled out of IPL 2026.
Kulwant Khejroliya returns to GT
On the other hand, the Gujarat Titans have included left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejroliya in their squad as a replacement for the injured Prithviraj Yarra. Khejroliya has taken six wickets in the IPL and has previously played for GT, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He has been signed for ₹30 lakh.
Even before the start of IPL 2026, the rising number of injuries has become a concern for teams. In such a situation, replacement players will carry significant responsibility to live up to expectations. It will now be interesting to see how Navdeep Saini and Kulwant Khejroliya perform with the ball and how effective they prove to be.
KKR to kick off campaign on March 29, GT in action on March 30
The Kolkata Knight Riders will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign on March 29 against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. They will then face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 3 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, followed by a home clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 6 at the Eden Gardens. KKR will next take on the Chennai Super Kings on April 10 at Eden Gardens, before travelling to play the Delhi Capitals on April 14 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, as they look to build early momentum in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat Titans will begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 30 against the Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium. They will then face the Punjab Kings on April 3 in Mohali at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, followed by a home game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 7 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. GT will next take on the Rajasthan Royals on April 11 in Jaipur at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, before returning home to face the Delhi Capitals on April 15, as they aim to make a strong start to their IPL 2026 season.
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