Harshit Rana to make shock comeback in IPL 2026? Pacer joins squad in Kolkata

Ahead of the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings (KKR vs PBKS) match at the Eden Gardens, Harshit Rana reached Kolkata. His visit to the City of Joy has sparked a wave of speculations among the KKR fans, as the pace bowling allrounder has been ruled out of the entire IPL 2026 season because of an Injury.

After sustaining back-to-back defeats, the team from Kolkata is yet to register its first win in the season. Because of multiple injury blows and the snub of Mustafizur Rahman, the bowling attack of the team looked out of shape. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has also not joined the team yet.

Harshit Rana arrived in Kolkata ahead of the KKR vs PBKS match

In such a scenario, when the team has been looking for the best possible combination in their bowling with available limited resources, Rana's visit to Kolkata initiated speculations. Is he here in Kolkata to join the camp for the 2026 Indian Premier League? The question has been raised across social media platforms.

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It is learnt that Harshit Rana has not arrived in Kolkata to join the Knight camp, but to support the team from the gallery. To show his support and to stand by the side of the team during the challenging hours, the seam bowling all-rounder is expected to be present in the stand during the match, which is scheduled to start at 7.30 PM, today.

Quick update from KKR camp: Harshit Rana has come to Kolkata to support KKR for tonight’s match vs PBKS. For avoidance of any doubts, he is only here to cheer for the boys and spend a day with the KKR family. @sportstarweb

— Shayan Acharya (@ShayanAcharya) April 6, 2026

Navdeep Saini named as Harshit Rana's replacement

Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the entire IPL 2026 season due to a severe ligament strain in his right knee sustained during a T20 World Cup warm-up game against South Africa.

The 24-year-old pacer underwent knee surgery in February and is undergoing rehabilitation. Navdeep Saini has been named as his replacement for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

The KKR vs PBKS match threatened to be washed out

Because of the weather conditions in Kolkata, the scheduled match is now doubtful to happen. A day before the match, because of rain and weather conditions, KKR's plans for outdoor training sessions got cancelled.

According to reports, KKR had planned to arrange an intra-squad match, which had to be canceled because of rain. Later, some of the players conducted their training within the indoor facilities.

According to the latest weather forecast, there is a 90 percent chance of rain during the match time. The match is scheduled to start from 7.30 PM, and the toss will be at 7.00 PM. Both timings can be changed if it is pouring.

The latest weather forecast suggests there is a 60 percent chance of rain around 7 pm. The chances of rain will increase by 8 to 9 PM.

During this period, the chances of rain will be 90 percent. After that, the weather is expected to improve. Around 10 PM, the chances of rain are 60 percent. Because of the constant threat of rain, the first washout of the ongoing IPL 2026 is quite possible in Kolkata tonight.

Read More: KKR vs PBKS Match Prediction IPL 2026, Match 12: Playing XI, Pitch Report, Head-to-Head