Just before the IPL 2026, the Kolkata Knight Riders have finally named fast bowler Navdeep Saini as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana. On the other hand, the Gujarat Titans have picked Kulwant Khejroliya in place of Prithviraj Yarra.
Harshit Rana was ruled out of the Indian Premier League 2026 because of his knee injury against South Africa in the warm-up match during the T20 World Cup 2026.
In addition, he underwent surgery in February and is currently in an extensive rehabilitation process.
Also Read: Riyan Parag Net Worth 2026: Salary, Earnings, Lifestyle, Cars & Career Growth
Navdeep Saini IPL Stats
He is an Indian fast bowler and is known for his speed. He played 32 IPL matches between 2019 and 2023 and took 23 wickets with an average of 42.35 and an economy of 8.88. His best bowling figures are 3/40 against Punjab Kings. Navdeep Saini was first bought by RCB in 2018 for INR 3 crore after his strong domestic season.
Further, he made his debut in 2019, and in 2020, he was a consistent part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru pace attack. He joined the Rajasthan Royals in 2022-23. As per reports, he is now bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 75 lakh as a replacement for Harshit Rana.
Also Read: Kolkata Knight Riders to Retire Andre Russell’s Jersey No. 12 in Special Tribute
Navdeep Saini Statement After Joining Kolkata Knight Riders as Replacement
Reacting to the news, Saini said, “It feels very good to be a Knight Rider,” said an elated Saini to the KKR Knight Club. “I got to know last night. I didn’t know how to react.”
He added: “I knew one thing, that I was putting in the effort, doing hard work. With how things were going on with me, I kind of planned it; you can say it was manifested. It’s important to have faith in God. When I heard the news, I enjoyed it.”
In addition, when asked what his chance means to him, he replied: “I can call it a revival for me. There have been a lot of ups and downs in my cricketing journey in the last two to three years, but it’s important to stay with it. Keep working hard. I’ve only known to put in hard work ever since the start, and I continue to do so.”
Earlier, KKR had also replaced injured Akash Deep and bought Saurabh Dubey in his place. Saurabh has appeared three times in T20 but is still wicketless and has not played competitive cricket for almost two and a half years at a senior level.
Also Read: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Honour 11 Fans with Special Tribute as Cricket Returns to Bengaluru
Gujarat Titans Name Kulwant Khejroliya as Replacement
Gujarat Titans have bought Kulwant Khejroliya for INR 30 lakh as a replacement for the injured Prithviraj Yarra. Kulwant is a left-arm pacer and has picked a total of 6 wickets in IPL. He was first picked by the Mumbai Indians but didn’t get the chance to play in 2017. Later, he made his debut for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2018. In 2023, he was also part of the Kolkata Knight Riders.
His best bowling figures are 2/33 against the Punjab Kings. He was born in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, and is known for his ability to generate bounce and swing the ball.