Injuries hit IPL pace units: KKR, SRH, RCB face selection headaches

Mumbai, March – With barely days left for the 2025 Indian Premier League to get under way, three heavyweight franchises are scrambling to re-draw their fast-bowling blueprints after a spate of injuries and unavailability left their pace departments in varying degrees of disarray. Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have all been forced to confront the possibility of beginning the tournament without first-choice quicks, triggering late-night video calls between analysts, physios and talent scouts.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Double jeopardy The reigning champions’ worries start at the top of their bowling chart. Harshit Rana, the 24-year-old Delhi pacer who emerged as KKR’s death-over enforcer last season, underwent knee surgery last month and is almost certain to sit out the bulk of the league stage. Team officials are yet to sign an outright replacement, clinging to the hope that Rana can return for the knock-outs if the side stays in contention.

Complicating matters further is the cloud over Matheesha Pathirana, the sling-armed Sri Lankan for whom KKR shelled out ₹18 crore in the December mega-auction. Pathirana missed most of the recent T20 World Cup with a calf tear and, although rehab is reportedly on track, insiders admit “it will be a miracle if he is available for the majority of matches.” The 21-year-old remodelled his action to protect his body after previous stress reactions, but early net footage has shown a discernible drop in pace and bite, adding to the coaching staff’s dilemma.

With Mustafizur Rahman also ruled out for non-cricketing reasons, KKR have turned to Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani as a like-for-like left-arm replacement. Alongside Cameron Green and Indian duo Vaibhav Arora and Akash Deep, the onus will be on a relatively inexperienced unit to defend the title.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Captaincy crossroads Pat Cummins’ arrival last season transformed SRH from perennial also-rans to title contenders, but the Australian Test and ODI skipper is currently nursing a back complaint that flared up during the Asics. Medical bulletins have offered no firm return date, leaving the franchise to ponder a contingency plan that could extend to the leadership group. Sources close to the team say wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan—fresh from a breakout T20 World Cup—is the front-runner to take over the captaincy should Cummins’ lay-off stretch beyond the opening fortnight.

On the field, SRH’s pace stocks look thin in comparison to their batting might. Shivam Mavi is working his way back from recurrent back issues, Jaydev Unadkat relies heavily on cutters that can be fodder on Indian decks, and rookie Ehsan Malinga is yet to prove his fitness after a side strain. Without Cummins’ new-ball swing and end-over nous, the 2016 champions risk exposing a batting line-up that prides itself on setting or chasing 200-plus totals.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Missing the Josh factor RCB’s maiden IPL triumph last May was powered by Josh Hazlewood’s relentlessness: 22 wickets at 17.54, an economy under eight, and a tournament-best 4 for 19 in the qualifier. The lanky New South Welshman, however, has not bowled a competitive delivery since December after hamstring and Achilles problems. Strength-and-conditioning staff have set internal deadlines for each league match, but the clock is ticking ominously.

In Hazlewood’s likely absence, New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy will partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal. While Duffy’s wobble-seam and clever change-ups have brought him success in home conditions, scouts question whether his 130-kph cutters will carry the same threat on sub-continental surfaces. The management’s Plan B is clear: wrap Hazlewood in cotton wool, target a mid-tournament return, and hope the top-order firepower can outscore opponents until then.

League-wide ripple effect The injuries have already altered auction strategies and replacement drafts, but the bigger headache lies in balancing attack and defence within the first six games—often the stretch that separates playoff hopefuls from the also-rans. For KKR, SRH and RCB, the next fortnight will be less about net run rate and more about medical updates, as they gamble on short-term fixes while praying for long-term relief.