Kolkata Knight Riders Secure Saurabh Dubey as Replacement for Injured Akash Deep

In a strategic move, Kolkata Knight Riders have signed Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for the injured Akash Deep ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Dubey, a left-arm fast bowler from Vidarbha, has been training with KKR and is set to make his debut. The team is also looking for a replacement for Harshit Rana, who is out due to surgery. KKR's season opener is against the Mumbai Indians on March 29. Read on to learn more about this exciting development in the IPL.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 23, 2026, 12:52 IST

KKR Signs Saurabh Dubey Amid Injury Concerns

Kolkata: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who have clinched the IPL title three times, have brought on board Saurabh Dubey, a left-arm fast bowler from Vidarbha, to fill the gap left by the injured Akash Deep. Deep has been sidelined due to a stress reaction affecting his lower back.

Previously, Dubey was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad for IPL 2022, but his time there was cut short because of a back injury. A franchise representative confirmed, "Saurabh Dubey has officially joined KKR as a replacement for Akash Deep for the upcoming season. He has been training with KKR as a net bowler at Eden Gardens and during their camp in Mumbai, and now he will be part of the main team."

At 28 years old, Dubey is yet to make his IPL debut and went unsold during the mini-auction held in Abu Dhabi last year. However, since he registered for the auction, he is now included in the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP), allowing any franchise to select him as a replacement for injured players.

Dubey has participated in eight List A matches and three T20 games for Vidarbha. He was also part of the India A squad during the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, where he was coached by current India men's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. Additionally, he had been monitored by former Indian pacer Subroto Banerjee, who concluded his term as a national selector last year.

KKR is still deliberating on a replacement for seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana, who is out for the season following surgery for a meniscus tear in his right knee in February. Since Wednesday, KKR has been conducting trials to find replacements for both Rana and Akash Deep.

Under the leadership of experienced opener Ajinkya Rahane, KKR will kick off their IPL 2026 season against the five-time champions Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29. Their first home game will be against SRH at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 2, followed by matches against Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants on April 6 and 9, respectively.