Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed Vidarbha left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Dubey as a replacement player for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Team India’s fast bowler Akash Deep has suffered a serious lower back injury and is out of the entire two-month tournament.
Akash will be out of action for at least eight weeks and his participation in the upcoming Test match against Afghanistan is in serious doubt. It is noteworthy that Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana is already out of the tournament. However, the franchise has not announced his replacement.
KKR signs Saurabh Dubey in place of Akash Deep ahead of IPL 2026
According to a report in Cricbuzz, KKR has signed Saurabh Dubey to restore balance in the team amid the huge shortage of fast bowling. The 28-year-old had earlier joined Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2022, but his stint was cut short due to injury.
Saurabh remained unsold in the recent auction despite a modest base price of ₹30 lakh. However, the Vidarbha pacer brings a vital left-arm variation to the Kolkata Knight Riders attack.
Sri Lankan fast bowler Mathiesha Pathirana will miss several opening matches, while Blessing Muzarabani has recently replaced Mustafizur Rahman after unexpected contract termination issues with the cricket board.
It’s a good call by Knight Riders management – Subroto Banerjee
Speaking to Press Trust of India, a franchise official confirmed the recent roster movement regarding the vacant fast bowling position within the KKR team.
“KKR has decided to include Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for Akash Deep,” a KKR source told PTI.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, former India fast bowler and former selector Subroto Banerjee lauded the strategic acquisition. Banerjee recalled watching Dubey perform exceptionally well during the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup tournament.
“He is a very talented left-arm fast bowler. I remember he toured Bangladesh under Rahul Dravid as part of the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup squad. He gets extra bounce off the wicket and can swing the ball both ways. It is a good decision by the Knight Riders management.”
Who is Saurabh Dubey?
Saurabh Dubey is a left-arm medium fast bowler who represents Vidarbha in domestic cricket. He has also featured in eight List A games and three T20Is, taking 16 wickets in eight first-class matches. Despite entering the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a base price of ₹30 lakh, he remained unsold.
He was also part of India’s squad for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh. Dubey took 4 wickets for 26 runs in his List A debut against Nepal in a seven-wicket win and was named Player of the Match. He finished the tournament with seven wickets in three matches.
His most recent appearance came for Vidarbha in the 2023–24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Before this, he had played four matches in the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the franchises that the remaining schedule of IPL 2026 will be announced within the next three to four days. Notably, the full schedule was delayed due to elections in West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
Also Read: “You win tournaments…”: LSG owner leaks Gautam Gambhir’s secret advice to win IPL