File Pic: Kolkata Knight Riders’ Rachin Ravindra during a practice session. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Rachin Ravindra has left Kolkata Knight Riders midway through the IPL 2026 season, with the New Zealand batter returning home to prepare for the national side’s upcoming Test tour of England.KKR confirmed the development on Friday, stating that Ravindra had departed the squad to begin his red-ball preparations ahead of New Zealand’s three-match Test series against England, scheduled to begin on June 4.“Rachin Ravindra has returned home to begin his red-ball preparations for New Zealand’s upcoming Test tour to England,” the franchise said in an official statement.The franchise also shared a farewell clip on Instagram showing Ravindra exchanging hugs and handshakes with teammates before his departure.“Best wishes from the Knights as Rachin heads home to prepare for national duty,” KKR wrote in the caption.Rachin was bought by KKR for his base price of Rs 2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction after being released by Chennai Super Kings. Despite expectations around the New Zealand all-rounder, he did not play a single game this season.KKR opted for Cameron Green in the middle order role, leaving Ravindra on the bench throughout the campaign. His exit now comes without him making an appearance in the purple and gold.KKR’s season has been a turbulent one. The three-time champions endured a miserable start, failing to register a single win in their first six matches. However, they revived their campaign with four straight victories before losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their previous outing.Led by Ajinkya Rahane, KKR are currently eighth in the points table with nine points from 11 matches and remain on the brink of elimination. They need to win all their remaining matches to stay alive in the playoff race, with net run rate likely to play a decisive role.