Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Has moved quickly to deal with his growing injury concerns and included Vidarbha fast bowler Saurabh Dubey in place of Akash Deep. ipl 2026. The 28-year-old left-arm fast bowler, who was training with the team as a net bowler, now finds himself promoted to the main team just days before the season starts.
Dubey may not be a familiar name in the IPL yet, but he comes with the potential and advantage of having already been a part of the KKR setup during the pre-season. His inclusion gives the team a much-needed option in their weak pace department.
Akash Deep ruled out of IPL 2026 due to lower back injury
Meanwhile, Akash Deep has been ruled out after suffering a stress reaction in his lower back – an injury that usually requires several weeks to heal. The Bengal fast bowler raised the issue during a Ranji Trophy match earlier this year and has since been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. He never joined KKR’s pre-season camp, leaving the franchise short of domestic pace resources.
Dubey’s journey to this occasion has not been straightforward. He was previously a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad in IPL 2022, but his stint was cut short due to injuries. After going unsold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, he remained in the available player pool, waiting for an opportunity – and now, that opportunity has arrived.
“He is a very talented left-arm fast bowler. He gets extra bounce off the wicket and can swing the ball both ways. It is a good decision by the Knight Riders management.” Subroto Banerjee said while highlighting the qualities of Dubey.
A KKR official also confirmed that Dube was already impressing in the training sessions. “Dubey was a net bowler for KKR and was practicing with them at Eden Gardens and their camp in Mumbai, but now he will be in the main team. The officer said.
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Injury concerns rise but KKR are optimistic
While Dubey’s inclusion has brought some relief, KKR’s injury list remains a major concern. Akash Deep is not the only fast bowler who is missing – young fast bowler Harshit Rana is also out after undergoing knee surgery. His absence, coupled with Deep’s injury, leaves a significant gap in the team’s bowling plans.
Apart from the challenge, Marquee, who has contracted Mathisha Pathirana, is also unavailable for the opening matches as he is recovering from a calf muscle strain. His return is expected only around mid-April, which means KKR will have to play without one of their key overseas fast bowlers in the early stages of the tournament.
The franchise has already made other adjustments, including bringing in Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, but the constant changes have forced the management to rethink its bowling combination.
Despite these setbacks, mentor Dwayne Bravo is confident in the team’s depth and ability to adapt.
“The good thing about Indian cricket, especially at the moment, is that it has a lot of depth. It has people like Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora… they are young, exciting talents.” Bravo said.
Who will KKR start its IPL 2026 campaign against? Mumbai Indians (MI) On March 29 at Wankhede Stadium. With a reshuffle in the bowling attack and a mix of experienced players and new faces, the team will face an early test of its resilience.
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