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New Delhi: In what comes as huge blow for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Akash Deep has been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. After already struggling with fast-bowling concerns with Harshit Rana ruled out and Matheesha Pathirana awaiting clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket, this comes as a major blow.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, a top official from KKR confirmed the development  saying that it is very unfortunate that he is ruled out of the entire season. The 29-year-old Bengal pacer was bought by the franchise at his base price of INR 1 crore at last year’s mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.

🚨 KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INJURED PLAYERS LIST🚨

– Akash Deep (Ruled Out)
– Harshit Rana (Ruled Out)
– Matheesha Pathirana pic.twitter.com/lzrj8ANQJ5

— Cricket Central (@CricketCentrl)

The KKR camp has been underway in Kolkata since March 18 but Akash Deep has not reported there. It is understood that he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, although the exact nature of his injury remains unclear, mentions the report.

Since last few years, Akash Deep has suffered frequent injuries be it for the national squad or the IPL franchise. These injuries have kept the pacer out of action since his IPL debut in 2022. In the last four seasons, he has featured in just 14 matches claiming 10 wickets. In the last edition of the cash-rich league, he was part of Lucknow Super Giants but the franchise released him after one season.

With Rana and Akash unavailable for the entire 19th edition, KKR would be left with no choice but to look for a suitable replacement who can fill in the shoes. Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik and Kartik Tyagi are the Indian pacers currently in the KKR squad, with the franchise having the option of using Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a few overs.