Kolkata Knight Riders have reportedly brought in Vidarbha left arm pacer Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for Akash Deep ahead of IPL 2026. The move comes as the team looks to address injury concerns before the start of the season.
According to reports, Saurabh Dubey has already joined the KKR camp in Kolkata. The 28 year old went unsold in the IPL 2026 mini auction, where his base price was Rs 30 lakh.
Dubey was earlier part of Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022. However, he could not make his IPL debut at that time due to an injury, which kept him out of action.
KKR have not officially confirmed the replacement yet. Still, reports indicate that Dubey is expected to take the place of Akash Deep in the squad for the upcoming season.
Akash Deep, who was bought for Rs 1 crore in the auction, has not joined the team camp so far. This has raised questions about his availability for the tournament.
He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. However, the exact nature of his injury has not been disclosed yet.
KKR are already facing multiple injury concerns ahead of IPL 2026. Harshit Rana has also been ruled out, and the franchise is yet to announce a replacement for him.
The team will begin its IPL 2026 campaign against Mumbai Indians on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium. KKR will aim for a better performance after finishing eighth last season.
