IPL 2026, Nathan Ellis to Harshit Rana: List of injured players ahead of first-leg of Indian Premier League

CSK lose their main death bowler

The biggest blow was handed to Chennai Super Kings who lost their death over specialist Nathan Ellis as he was ruled out on March 19.

KKR and SRH Pace Battery Depleted

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) faced a massive blow with their 2024 title hero, Harshit Rana, ruled out for nearly the entire season following knee surgery. Adding to their woes, the league’s most expensive pacer, Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana, is expected to miss the initial games with a calf strain.

SRH, who play the season opener at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, will also start without their leader, Pat Cummins. The Australian is still recovering from a lingering back injury sustained during the Ashes and is not yet match-fit for the high-intensity opening week.

Defending Champions RCB Sweat Over Hazlewood

The defending champions, RCB, are also carrying “Aussie baggage.” Their title defense begins without Josh Hazlewood, who is managing a combination of Achilles and hamstring issues. He and Cummins are expected to join their respective squads by mid-April. With no certainty yet on Yash Dayal’s full availability, Hazlewood’s absence leaves a massive void in the RCB powerplay.

LSG’s “Wanindu-Shaped” Hole

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are on high alert as Wanindu Hasaranga remains a major doubt due to a hamstring tear. With Mayank Yadav also under medical observation for a side strain, LSG faces a race against time to build a cohesive bowling attack for their opening fixtures.

IPL 2026 Injury Tracker: First-Leg Availability