IPL 2026: Rachin Ravindra leaves KKR squad for England Test preparations

New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra has officially ended his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2026 to shift his focus towards New Zealand’s upcoming red-ball tour of England. 

The Kiwi allrounder will return home to begin preparation for the Test series before the squad departs for the UK, with the opening Test scheduled to begin at Lord’s on June 4. KKR confirmed Ravindra’s departure on Friday, May 15 on their social media handles.

Picked up for his base price of INR 2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, the left-handed batter did not feature in a single game this season. With KKR boasting a strong Indian batting core along with Cameron Green occupying the overseas middle-order slot, opportunities remained limited for the New Zealander throughout the campaign.

Watch the announcement here – 

Despite missing IPL action, Ravindra heads into the England tour in excellent red-ball form. A key figure in New Zealand’s middle order, he enjoyed a highly productive run in recent Test assignments. The 25-year-old smashed an unbeaten 165 against Zimbabwe in August 2025 before producing a commanding 176 in Christchurch against West Indies. He also registered unbeaten scores of 72 and 46 in Mount Maunganui later in the series.

The England tour will mark Ravindra’s maiden Test assignment in the UK. New Zealand are set to play three Tests, at Lord’s from June 4-8, The Oval from June 17-21, and Nottingham from June 25-29. Ahead of the England series, the Black Caps will also play a four-day fixture against Ireland in Belfast starting May 27.

Currently placed second in the 2025-27 World Test Championship standings, New Zealand will be eager for a stronger showing in England after suffering a 0-3 series defeat during their previous tour in 2022.

Rachin has played 18 matches in his short IPL career, representing Chennai Super Kings previously. In those 18 matches, he has amassed 413 runs with a strike rate of 143.90.