KKR's Akash Deep has been ruled out of IPL 2026 due to a lower back stress injury, which will keep him sidelined for at least 8-12 weeks. This is a major blow to KKR's pace attack, as they're already dealing with injuries to Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana. Akash Deep was bought by KKR for ₹1 crore in the mini-auction and was expected to play a key role in their bowling lineup. KKR had already made a change in the lead-up to the season, bringing in Blessing Muzarabani as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman, but beyond that, their fast-bowling resources now appear thin. Injury Updates:Akash Deep: Lower back stress injury, ruled out of IPL 2026 Harshit Rana: Knee surgery, expected to miss most of IPL 2026 Matheesha Pathirana: Injury, expected to join KKR camp by mid-AprilKKR is scouting for replacements, with options like Navdeep Saini, Akash Madhwal, and Chetan Sakariya being considered.