KKR rope in Navdeep Saini as Harshit Rana replacement

Kolkata Knight Riders have roped in fast bowler Navdeep Saini as Harshit Rana's replacement for IPL 2026. Rana, who missed the recent T20 World Cup with injury was then ruled out of the IPL too. After much deliberation, KKR have added Saini to the squad. This comes just a few days after KKR were forced to replace another quick - Akash Deep - with Saurabh Dubey.

Saini earned his first IPL contract with RCB in 2019, when he featured in 13 games and picked 11 wickets. He played the next two seasons for the same team before Rajasthan Royals snapped him up. For RR he played in four games across two seasons and was then not picked in the recent auction. On the back of his impressive stint with RCB, Saini, who has 23 IPL wickets has also donned India colours, in all formats.

Gujarat Titans meanwhile, have replaced Prithviraj Yarra with Kulwant Khejroliya, who too earned his IPL bow with RCB, in 2018. The Madhya Pradesh fast bowler played turned out for RCB in 2019 and then for KKR in 2023 before played one game for GT last year.

While KKR begin their IPL 2026 campaign against MI at the Wankhede stadium on March 29, GT start off against last year's runners-up PBKS in Mullanpur on March 31.