There has been a massive update on Indian National Cricket Team bowler Akash Deep amid the TATA Indian Premier League 2026 (TATA IPL 2026), where he was supposed to play for the struggling franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

However, the update is not that promising. The fast bowler is currently out of action due to a recurring lower back stress injury. His return has now been delayed for at least three months.

Akash Deep missed IPL 2026 after injury setback

Akash Deep was supposed to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing IPL 2026, but his lower back stress injury recurred and he had no option but to withdraw from the tournament.

KKR later signed Vidarbha left-arm seamer Saurabh Dubey as Akash’s replacement for this season.

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The fast bowler first suffered the stress injury during the Ranji Trophy semi-final between Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir in February 2026. Despite suffering the injury, the Bengal pacer gave his best and picked up three wickets in the second innings, but aggravated the injury.

Akash Deep to miss Afghanistan Test and Sri Lanka tour; The eyes return in the Duleep Trophy

Akash is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. This time the focus is on healing properly. The medical team is being very careful and is not rushing anything. The 29-year-old is said to only do light running and basic strength work.

As reported by Revsportz, Akash Deep is targeting a return to the Duleep Trophy in September 2026 as his recurring lower back stress injury will take at least 3-4 months to heal properly and allow him to regain match fitness.

Given the expected schedule, the Bengal bowler will miss India’s upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan and the tour of Sri Lanka.

Akash Deep eyes New Zealand tour for India comeback

Akash Deep is likely to return with India’s tour of New Zealand later this year if everything goes as planned. The Indian cricket team is scheduled to visit New Zealand in October-November 2026 to play five ODIs, three T20Is and two Tests.

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The pacer has so far played 10 Tests for India and has taken 28 wickets while putting in some solid performances for his country. His finest moment came on the tour of England last year, where he took 10 wickets in the Edgbaston Tests and won the Player of the Match award.

India prepares for a new start against Afghanistan

After the conclusion of the ongoing IPL 2026, India will resume its international season with a one-off Test match against Afghanistan, starting June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.

This will be only the second time that India and Afghanistan face each other in a Test match in India. The last time these two teams played in India, the hosts won that one-off Test under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane. India comes into this match after a tough 2-0 loss in the test series against South Africa.

Therefore, the team will want to recover quickly and return to the winning path, and the team management can try some new combinations at home.