Harshit Rana Replacement: KKR Name Like-For-Like Seamer In IPL 2026 Squad Update

Seamer Navdeep Saini on Wednesday (March 25, 2026) replaced Harshit Rana in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season starting on Saturday. Both Saini and Rana have represented India and play for Delhi in the domestic circuit.

Rana sustained a ligament injury in his right knee during a warm-up match of the ICC T20 World Cup, that India won. He underwent surgery, which needed an extensive rehabilitation process, resulting in the pacer missing the World Cup, followed by the upcoming IPL season.

His replacement Saini has claimed 23 wickets in 32 IPL matches (average of 42.34 and economy of 8.88) played so far, apart from 23 wickets in international cricket for India. He will join KKR for INR 75 lakh.

Speaking about joining the KKR side, Navdeep said: “Joining KKR feels special—there’s an emotion attached to the franchise that you can’t quite put into words. For me, this opportunity is a fresh start. The last few years had their ups and downs, but I never stopped believing in my hard work, and this feels like the reward for staying the course."

GT Replace Prithviraj Yarra With Kulwant Khejroliya

Meanwhile, left-arm medium pacer Kulwant Khejroliya has replaced fellow seam bowler Prithviraj Yarra in the Gujarat Titans squad. Khejroliya has previously featured for GT, KKR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He will join GT for INR 30 lakh.

An injury to Yarra prompted the change. Khejroliya, who played one game for the Titans in the 2025 season, has picked up an overall six wickets in eight IPL matches at an average of 41 and economy rate of 10.61.