KKR suffer major blow as Angkrish Raghuvanshi ruled out of IPL 2026

Kolkata Knight Riders have suffered a major setback ahead of their final league-stage fixture after wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi was ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2026 with a concussion and fractured finger.

KKR confirmed on Friday that Raghuvanshi sustained the injuries during their win over Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens on May 20 while attempting a diving catch.

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In an official statement, the franchise said: “Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been ruled out of the 2026 TATA Indian Premier League after sustaining a concussion and a fracture to a finger on his left hand while attempting a catch during the Kolkata Knight Riders’ match against the Mumbai Indians. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery.”

The injury occurred in the 11th over of Mumbai’s innings when Raghuvanshi dived full stretch alongside spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in an attempt to dismiss Tilak Varma. The collision resulted in Raghuvanshi suffering a blow to the head and hand, although he briefly continued before leaving the field in the 14th over for medical treatment.

Tejasvi Singh Dahiya later came in as a concussion substitute and completed wicketkeeping duties before contributing 11 runs in KKR’s successful chase.

Assistant coach Shane Watson had earlier revealed that Raghuvanshi experienced “neck pain, a bit of dizziness and a headache” following the incident.

The setback continues an unfortunate run of injury scares for the young batter, who had also suffered a frightening head and neck injury earlier this year during a Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Mumbai against Uttarakhand in Jaipur. He was stretchered off the field in that game before later being discharged after scans showed no serious damage.

Raghuvanshi’s absence comes as a huge blow for KKR, especially with the franchise still mathematically alive in the playoff race. The 24-year-old has been KKR’s leading run-scorer this season with 422 runs at a strike rate of 146.52, including five half-centuries.

Led by Ajinkya Rahane, KKR must beat Delhi Capitals in their final league game at Eden Gardens and hope results elsewhere go in their favour to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The three-time IPL champions can finish on a maximum of 15 points, but their qualification also depends on both Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings dropping points in their remaining matches.