Same weakness, new season will Kolkata struggle again?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are once again facing a serious problem before the IPL season even begins. Injuries to two key fast bowlers Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana have raised big questions about their pace attack. This is worrying because last season KKR finished 8th mainly due to weak fast bowling.

The biggest setback is Harshit Rana. He has been ruled out of the season after suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery. Over the last two IPL seasons, Rana had become one of KKR’s most reliable bowlers. He took 19 wickets in 2024 and 15 wickets in 2025, and was also improving his batting. He was even close to becoming a regular player in India’s T20 team. His absence is a major loss for KKR.

Matheesha Pathirana’s situation is slightly different. He got injured during the T20 World Cup, but KKR still have hope that he might return later in the IPL. The franchise had bought him for a huge amount of ₹18 crore, so they are willing to wait instead of replacing him immediately. Recently, a photo of Pathirana in KKR colours also gave some hope that he could be available at some stage.

Even after these setbacks, KKR have decided not to bring in replacements. The management believes they already have enough Indian fast bowlers in the squad. Players like Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, and Akash Deep are expected to handle the pace department. However, none of them have shown the same level of consistency that Harshit Rana had in the last two seasons.

One positive for KKR is their spin attack, which remains one of the strongest in the league. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine continue to be key players and can control the game in the middle overs. But T20 cricket, especially in India, often depends heavily on fast bowlers in the powerplay and death overs, the exact area where KKR look weak.

KKR have made one change by signing Blessing Muzarabani as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman. However, this move has also created some off-field controversy. Muzarabani was expected to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and his decision to join the IPL has drawn comparisons with Corbin Bosch, who faced a one-year ban for a similar situation last year. There are reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may take action, although nothing is confirmed yet.

As the IPL begins on March 28, KKR will face a tough start. Their first match is against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29. It will be an early test of their bowling strength.

Looking at the overall situation, KKR is taking a big risk. They are trusting their current squad and hoping that Pathirana returns during the season. But if their pace attack fails again, just like last year, the team could struggle once more.

In the end, the big question remains: has KKR solved its biggest weakness, or are they heading towards the same problem again? This season will give the answer.

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