Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have acted quickly to deal with their growing injury concerns, bringing in Vidarbha pacer Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for Akash Deep ahead of IPL 2026. The 28-year-old left-arm seamer, who had been training with the squad as a net bowler, now finds himself promoted to the main team just days before the season begins.
Dubey may not yet be a familiar name in the IPL, but he comes with potential and the advantage of already being part of the KKR setup during pre-season. His inclusion gives the team a much-needed option in their depleted pace department.
Akash Deep out of IPL 2026 due to lower back injury
Akash Deep, meanwhile, has been ruled out after suffering a stress reaction in his lower back – an injury that typically requires several weeks of recovery. The Bengal pacer had picked up the issue during a Ranji Trophy match earlier this year and has since been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He never joined KKR’s pre-season camp, leaving the franchise short on domestic pace resources.
Dubey’s journey to this opportunity hasn’t been straightforward. He was previously part of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)’s squad in IPL 2022, but injuries cut that stint short. After going unsold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, he remained in the available player pool, waiting for a chance – 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’s a good call by the Knight Riders management,” said Subroto Banerjee, highlighting Dubey’s strengths.
A KKR official also confirmed that Dubey had already been impressing in training sessions. “Dubey was a net bowler for KKR and was practising with them at Eden Gardens and in their camp in Mumbai, but he will now be in the main squad,” the official said.
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Injury concerns mount but KKR remain optimistic
While Dubey’s inclusion provides some relief, KKR’s injury list continues to be a major concern. Akash Deep is not the only pacer missing – young fast bowler Harshit Rana has also been ruled out after undergoing knee surgery. His absence, combined with Deep’s injury, leaves a significant gap in the team’s bowling plans.
Adding to the challenge, marquee signing Matheesha Pathirana is also unavailable for the opening matches as he recovers from a calf strain. His return is expected only around mid-April, meaning KKR will have to navigate the initial phase of the tournament without one of their key overseas pacers.
The franchise has already made other adjustments, including bringing in Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani earlier, but the constant changes have forced the management to rethink their bowling combinations.
Despite these setbacks, mentor Dwayne Bravo remains confident in the team’s depth and ability to adapt.
“The good thing about Indian cricket, especially at the moment, is that there is a lot of depth. There’re the likes of Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora… they are young, exciting talents,” Bravo said.
KKR will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium. With a reshuffled bowling attack and a mix of experienced players and fresh faces, the team faces an early test of its resilience.
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