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Ahmedabad, May 21: Former India batter Suresh Raina has hailed Kartik Tyagi as the “comeback story” of IPL 2026 after the Kolkata Knight Riders pacer bounced back strongly from injury setbacks and years of inconsistency to emerge as one of the standout fast bowlers of the season.
Tyagi, who had struggled to cement his place in the IPL over the past few years, has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround campaign with Kolkata Knight Riders. The young speedster has claimed 18 wickets from 13 matches this season, playing a crucial role in KKR’s bowling attack and reviving a career that appeared to have stalled due to persistent fitness concerns.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Raina praised Tyagi’s resilience and commitment, saying the pacer had used his time away from the spotlight wisely after going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction.
“Kartik Tyagi is the comeback story of this IPL season. He has worked hard on his fitness, and it has paid off,” Raina said.The former Chennai Super Kings star pointed out how Tyagi’s IPL journey had been interrupted repeatedly by injuries in recent seasons. In 2022, the pacer featured in only two matches and picked up a solitary wicket. His struggles continued in 2023, when he managed just one wicket in three appearances, before playing only a single game in the 2024 season.
Tyagi’s fortunes hit a low when he went unsold during the IPL 2025 auction. However, Raina believes that phase turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Uttar Pradesh fast bowler, allowing him the time and space to rebuild. Tyagi’s impressive performances this year have underlined his growth. Across his first five IPLs, he had managed only 15 wickets in 20 appearances. In IPL 2026 alone, he has already surpassed that tally, taking 18 wickets and establishing himself as one of KKR’s most effective seamers. (Agencies)
