Angkrish Raghuvanshi side-lined as Kolkata Knight Riders suffer major IPL 2026 setback

KKR remain mathematically alive in the race for the top four, but they now head into Saturday's must-win clash against Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens without one of their most influential performers.

The 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter suffered a concussion and a fracture to his left finger during KKR's four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians on May 20.

The incident occurred in the 11th over of Mumbai's innings when Raghuvanshi collided with spinner Varun Chakaravarthy while attempting a catch to dismiss Tilak Varma. Both players lost balance during the collision and the catch went down.

Raghuvanshi initially stayed on the field, but after Tilak Varma's dismissal in the 14th over, he walked off and was replaced behind the stumps by Tejasvi Dahiya.

KKR later activated the concussion substitute rule to formally replace him in the playing XI.

Two days later, the franchise confirmed that Raghuvanshi would take no further part in IPL 2026.

His absence is regarded as a major setback for KKR, who require victory and favourable results elsewhere to keep their campaign alive.

Raghuvanshi has been the franchise's leading run-scorer this season with 422 runs at an average of 42.2 and a strike rate of 146.52, including five half-centuries.

The youngster earned praise for his maturity, fearless batting and ability to handle pressure situations. Whether rebuilding after early wickets or accelerating at the death, Raghuvanshi consistently delivered match-defining contributions while also stepping in as wicketkeeper in recent matches.

KKR must now quickly regroup as attention turns to how they respond in a season-defining encounter against Delhi Capitals.