Cricket News, IPL 2026, KKR Sign, Cricket Updates
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the signing of Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for the injured Akash Deep ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.
The decision was confirmed by KKR CEO Venky Mysore during an intra-squad practice session in Kolkata. Dubey, a left-arm seamer from Vidarbha cricket team, earns his maiden IPL opportunity despite limited recent competitive exposure.
The 28-year-old has featured in just 11 senior-level matches and has not played competitive cricket since October 2023. However, he impressed selectors with his performances in the Vidarbha Pro T20 League, where he represented the Orange Tigers. Dubey had earlier attracted attention in 2019 as the leading wicket-taker for India in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
Dubey was previously picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022, but his campaign was curtailed due to injury. He has also served as a net bowler for Mumbai Indians, gaining valuable experience within the IPL ecosystem.
KKR conducted a series of trials during their training camp to identify a replacement for Akash Deep, and potentially for Harshit Rana, who is also dealing with a knee injury. Several notable domestic pacers, including Navdeep Saini, KM Asif, Simarjeet Singh, Akash Madhwal, and Sandeep Warrier, participated in the selection process.
KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar played a key role in organizing the trials. Mysore praised the coaching staff’s efforts, noting that Dubey stood out among the candidates and quickly became the preferred choice.
Meanwhile, concerns remain over the availability of Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana, who is expected to miss the early part of the season due to injury sustained during the recent T20 World Cup. KKR management indicated they are closely coordinating with Sri Lanka Cricket regarding his recovery and are hopeful of his return by mid-April.
Akash Deep was officially ruled out after failing to recover from a lower-back injury. Currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence, he is expected to be sidelined for approximately three months.
Dubey joins a strong seam-bowling unit at KKR, which includes Pathirana, Blessing Muzarabani, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, and Umran Malik. Allrounder Cameron Green also provides an additional seam-bowling option.
With the IPL 2026 season approaching, KKR will be hoping that Dubey can make an immediate impact and strengthen their pace attack in the absence of key injured players.
