IPL 2026: The three-time IPL winners Kolkata Knight Riders are keeping a close watch on ex-Chennai Super Kings fast bowlers Simarjeet Sing and KM Asif, along with Sandeep Warrier, to replace the injured Harshit Rana for IPL 2026. The fast bowling attack of the Kolkata-based franchise had been hit by a huge blow when Rana had picked up a ligament injury in the right knee in India's T20 World Cup warm-up match against South Africa. He underwent surgery and is currently in rehab, with no clarity on when he will join the squad. Due to his absence, the team management is now looking for other options.

Simarjeet, who has represented CSK in IPL 2022 and 2024 and has also played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, has taken 11 wickets across 14 matches. He can bowl at 140km/h. He can also bowl brilliant Yorkers, as he took 9 wickets in 10 matches for the Chennai-based franchise during IPL 2022, but struggled for SRH, taking just 2 wickets in 4 matches.

Asif and Warrier attended trials during KKR's first practice session on Wednesday. In contrast, Simarjeet had performed brilliantly in the first phase of the trials held in Mumbai, with Biju George, the head of scouting, and Manvinder Bisla keeping a close watch on the process.

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Asif, who registered his career-best figures of 5/24 during the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy match against Mumbai, can bowl at 140kph but did suffer from niggles. He made his IPL debut for CSK in 2018 and has played just a few matches since, with his last IPL match coming in 2023 for Rajasthan Royals.

He has taken seven wickets after playing in as many matches. Warrier made his IPL debut for KKR in 2019, played for them for three seasons, and also represented GT in one edition. He has taken 8 wickets in 10 IPL matches.

PATHIRANA YET TO GET CLEARANCE

There is also no clarity on the availability of Sri Lanka's star fast bowler, Matheesha Pathirana, as he has yet to receive clearance from the Sri Lankan cricket board. Pathirana, who KKR roped in for a whopping amount of Rs 18 crore, is recovering from a calf strain that he had sustained in the T20 World Cup match against Australia, where he was seen limping while bowling four overs.

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"They are yet to confirm about his joining. We are in constant touch. Almost every day, tickets are being booked and cancelled for him," a team source had said.

The Kolkata-based franchise also signed Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman. However, he was released after the BCCI intervened. He was replaced by Zimbabwe's fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani.

ALL EYES ON MUZURABANI

Muzarabani took 13 wickets during the recently concluded mega event, becoming the joint second-highest wicket-getter. He registered brilliant match-winning figures of 4/17 against Australia, causing a huge upset and knocking the former champions out. This made him the centre of attention in the first practice session. Muzarabani, who has taken 200 international wickets, hasn't made his IPL debut yet. Last year, he was roped in by RCB as Lungi Ngidi's replacement.

He was LSG's net bowler when Andy Flower was their head coach. The Ajinkya Rahane-led side still has fast bowling options like Vaibhav Arora, Akash Deep, Kartik Tyagi, and Umran Mallik, who has been working on his variations.