The Indian Premier League 2026 season is just around the corner, and teams are already making last-minute adjustments to their squads. In a notable move, Navdeep Saini has been drafted into the Kolkata Knight Riders setup as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana. The young pacer, who was retained for ₹4 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction, suffered an untimely injury during India’s warm-up clash against South Africa national cricket team in Navi Mumbai earlier this year, ruling him out of the upcoming campaign.
For Saini, this opportunity could be a defining moment in his career. Once seen as one of India’s most promising fast bowlers, the Delhi pacer has somewhat slipped out of the national reckoning. However, his experience—featuring in 2 Tests, 8 ODIs, and 11 T20Is—still adds value.
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In the IPL, Saini has picked up 23 wickets in 32 matches while representing teams such as Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. KKR securing him for ₹75 lakh could prove a smart, low-risk investment, especially given his ability to generate pace and bounce on helpful tracks.
Raw pace added to the Knights’ arsenal 💜🔥
Glad to have you join us, Navdeep ⚡ pic.twitter.com/KODibQJpqb
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 25, 2026
Interestingly, Saini isn’t the only replacement signing for KKR this season. The franchise, co-owned by Shah Rukh Khan, had earlier brought in Saurabh Dubey as a backup for Akash Deep, signalling a proactive approach to squad depth.
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Meanwhile, the Gujarat Titans have also made a change, signing Kulwant Khejroliya as a replacement for injured Prithviraj Yarra. The left-arm pacer, who has previously played for multiple IPL teams, adds variety to the Titans’ bowling attack led by Shubman Gill. With IPL 2026 set to kick off on March 28, these late changes could quietly shape team combinations in the tournament’s early stages.
