Mumbai, March 25: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is set to kick off on March 28. In a strategic move, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed fast bowler Navdeep Saini to replace Harshit Rana.
Harshit Rana has been sidelined due to injury and was also unable to participate in the T20 World Cup 2026, leading to his exit from the IPL. After careful consideration, KKR opted for Saini. Previously, KKR had brought in Saurabh Dubey to replace fast bowler Akash Deep.
Navdeep Saini first signed an IPL contract in 2019 with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). In his debut season, Saini played 13 matches and took 11 wickets. For IPL 2022, he joined Rajasthan Royals, where he played for two seasons. Over five IPL seasons, Saini has participated in 32 matches, claiming 23 wickets at an average of 42.34.
On the international front, Saini has played two Test matches, taking four wickets. In One Day Internationals, he has six wickets from eight matches, and in 11 T20 matches, he has secured 13 wickets. KKR will begin their campaign against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on March 29.
In another development, Gujarat Titans have replaced Prithviraj Yara with Kulwant Khejroliya. Khejroliya made his IPL debut with RCB in 2018. The left-arm fast bowler from Madhya Pradesh played for KKR in 2023 and participated in just one match for Gujarat Titans the following year. Throughout his IPL career, Kulwant has played a total of eight matches, taking six wickets.
Gujarat Titans will start their campaign on March 31, facing last year’s runners-up, Punjab Kings, in Mohali.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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