Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) confirmed on Friday that New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has returned to his home setup to begin preparations for the forthcoming Test tour of England. The move arrives just before KKR’s next Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 outing, when they host Gujarat Titans (GT) at Eden Gardens on Saturday evening.
In their official update, KKR stated that Ravindra has left the squad to concentrate on red-ball commitments with the New Zealand national team. “Rachin Ravindra has returned home to begin his red-ball preparations for New Zealand’s upcoming Test tour to England,” the franchise said.
The timing also underlines the balancing act KKR are currently performing in the league phase, where team combinations are heavily influenced by squad availability and overseas player presence. With matches coming thick and fast, any change in personnel can affect how the side structures its playing XI.
KKR, meanwhile, have struggled to build consistent momentum in this IPL season. The three-time champions have found it difficult to stay on a steady run in a tightly contested league stage, where results have swung often and the margins between teams have remained slim.
According to the latest standings, Kolkata are still in the playoff hunt but sit in eighth position. Their ranking has shifted throughout the tournament as wins and losses have come in clusters for different teams.
So far in the season, KKR have played 11 matches, collecting victory in four, suffering defeats in six, while one game ended without a result. The franchise has nine points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.198.
Ravindra’s role has been valuable for KKR as an all-round option, but with New Zealand preparing for their England Tests, he will now switch his focus fully to international duty.
ECB names debutants for England’s Test opener
Separately, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced three uncapped players in a 15-member squad for the opening Test against New Zealand at Lord’s. Wicketkeeper-batter James Rew, top-order batter Emilio Gay and fast bowler Sonny Baker have all been handed maiden call-ups for the series opener, which begins on June 4.
England men’s squad for the first Test vs New Zealand
- Ben Stokes (Durham) — Captain
- Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
- Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
- Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
- Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire)
- Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
- Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
- Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
- Matthew Fisher (Surrey)
- Emilio Gay (Durham)
- James Rew (Somerset)
- Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
- Joe Root (Yorkshire)
- Jamie Smith (Surrey)
- Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
