Kolkata Knight Riders face an early IPL 2026 challenge with pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Harshit Rana sidelined by injuries. Coach Abhishek Nayar confirmed Pathirana's absence for the initial phase. Mentor Dwayne Bravo, however, expressed confidence in India's fast-bowling depth, mentioning Umran Malik as a potential replacement, and lauded the team's formidable spin attack.