IPL 2026: KKR Sign Replacement For Akash Deep; Adds Saurabh Dubey To The Squad
KKR have added left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey to the squad, replacing Akash Deep, as he is set to miss the IPL due to an injury.
Published : March 23, 2026 at 10:45 AM IST
Hyderabad: Kolkata Night Riders (KKR) have signed Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for Akash Deep, who is ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, according to a report by Cricbuzz. The development becomes significant as resources for the KKR diminish ahead of the upcoming season.
Harshit Rana is also unavailable for the season, and with uncertainty surrounding the presence of overseas pacers in the tournament, the team is compelled to look to the domestic pool. Thus, the franchise has ensured Dubey’s arrival in the team.
Who is Saurabh Dubey?
The team is yet to make an official announcement, but the report suggests that he has already started training with the Knight Riders Camp in Kolkata. The Vidarbha pacer was bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad previously in the IPL 2022 auction for a price of INR 20 Lakhs.
Saurabh Dubey to KKR 💜
— Ashish Shrivastava (@ashishayush1177) March 22, 2026
HERE WE GO 🔥 pic.twitter.com/T8HmAzSoLE
He has played eight List A matches and three T20s and has taken 16 wickets in the List A games. His last appearance in the domestic circuit came in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after taking part in four Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in 2020-21.
He entered the IPL 2026 mini auction with a base price of INR 30 lakh but found no bidders. The left-arm seamer was also part of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh. He was impressive, taking four wickets against Nepal in the opening match and played a key role in the team’s seven-wicket win and was named Player of the Match. He signed off the tournament with seven wickets from three matches.
KKR should use Saurabh Dubey mainly in the middle and death overs‼️
— Swapnil Vats (@iamswapnilvats) March 22, 2026
His pace off deliveries can be effective at Eden Gardens. He should keep the ball away from the batsman and avoid giving pace.
In the practice match he also used wide yorkers.
The only concern is that his pace… https://t.co/en7GJRpWsN pic.twitter.com/BnIeXeGeHb
Left-arm seamers are valuable assets in the shortest format of the game as they exploit various angles.
KKR will start their IPL campaign on March 29 with the match against the Mumbai Indians, and with unexpected injuries hampering the squad composition, Dubey might get a chance to get a chance in the playing XI of the franchise.
