With the start of Indian Premier League 2026 just five days away, teams are already dealing with a growing list of injuries and player unavailability, raising concerns over squad balance and combinations.
Kolkata Knight Riders have been dealt a significant blow as Aakash Deep, who was bought at his base price of ₹1 crore for the season, has been ruled out due to a lumbar stress injury. In his place, the franchise has signed Saurabh Dubey for ₹30 lakh. The left-arm pacer, who was previously part of Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022, will now have an opportunity to showcase his skills on a bigger stage.
KKR’s bowling concerns don’t end there. The team is already without Harshit Rana, while uncertainty looms over Matheesha Pathirana due to delays in receiving a No Objection Certificate from Sri Lanka Cricket. The likes of Cameron Green and Blessing Muzarabani will provide valuable bowling experience for.With their opening fixture against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium approaching, the team management faces a tough task in finalizing their bowling combination.
Meanwhile, SRH have also made a replacement, bringing in David Payne for the injured Jack Edwards at a price of ₹1.5 crore. Although Payne is yet to feature in the IPL, he arrives with considerable T20 experience, having played over 230 matches and picked up more than 290 wickets. The left-arm seamer will be keen to make an immediate impact in his debut season. With the regular skipper set to miss the opening few games, the responsibility on Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers will be immense early in the season. However, the inclusion of David Payne could help the team find the right combination for the initial matches. With the new skipper Ishan Kishan, SRH will start their campaign.
SRH will kick off their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28.