New Delhi: Ace Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has left Kolkata Knight Riders' bio-secure bubble in UAE and is back in India to nurse a knee injury.

As per ESPNcricinfo, the injury is fairly serious and could cause Kuldeep to miss not just the remainder of the IPL but also at least part of the 2021-22 domestic season. The injury comes as a significant blow for the bowler.

Kuldeep has slipped down the pecking order since the 2019 World Cup for the team India. Even for KKR, Kuldeep only played five games during IPL 2020 and has not featured even once this year. The crafty left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 5.8 crore in the 2019 edition of IPL.

The knee injury could now set Kuldeep back even further, especially if Kuldeep is forced to miss a significant chunk of the domestic season. The senior men's season begins with the Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) Trophy from October 30 to November 12, which will be followed by the Ranji Trophy from November 16 to February 19, and the Vijay Hazare (50-overs) Trophy from February 23 to March 26.