IPL 2026 preview: Injuries pile up, but do KKR have an Ajinkya Rahane problem too?

IPL 2026: Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will be aiming for a successful campaign after an underwhelming outing in 2025. But with injuries mounting and a slight combination issue, can Kolkata spread some joy to their fans?

When you think of the Kolkata Knight Riders, they may not always be mentioned in the same breath as the Chennai Super Kings or Mumbai Indians. Yet, KKR's record tells a different story. With three IPL titles, they are among the most successful teams in the league, behind only the joint-record holders, MI and CSK.

KKR have often thrived as underdogs, delivering when expectations are low. In 2012, they were not favourites against CSK at Chepauk, but stunned the home crowd to lift the trophy. Two years later, despite Punjab Kings entering the final as favourites, KKR once again rose to the occasion. In 2024, even as Sunrisers Hyderabad captured the spotlight, KKR quietly went about their business and clinched another title.

Heading into IPL 2026, they will aim to script a similar story.

Their title defence in 2025, however, fell flat, with an eighth-place finish exposing the need for change. A shake-up followed, with Abhishek Nayar taking charge as head coach, supported by a star-studded staff featuring Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Shane Watson and Tim Southee.

KKR went into the auction with a strong purse, probably the biggest in the franchise's history, thanks to the release of big-money buy, Venkatesh Iyer, from last season and Russell. The foreign contingent was essentially rebuilt with Rs. 25.2 crore being spent on Cameron Green and another Rs. 18 crore being splashed on Matheesha Pathirana. They were in the hunt for an explosive wicketkeeper at the top ever since losing Phil Salt during the 2025 auction and went out to get two in the form of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert.

Tejasvi Singh and Sarthak Ranjan brought in the Delhi Premier League swag to the side, and they made smart acquisitions in the form of domestic pacers with Karthik Tyagi and Akash Deep coming into the mix. There were only a few targets Kolkata ended up missing, but the main ones were all landed and others added to the squad depth.