In a major squad update ahead of the IPL 2026 season, Kolkata Knight Riders have roped in Saurabh Dubey as a KKR replacement for injured pacer Akash Deep. Dubey, a left-arm pacer from Vidarbha, who is 28 years of age, has already joined the KKR camp in Kolkata.
Who is Saurabh Dubey? New KKR Replacement
Saurabh Dubey is considered a promising fast bowler who can provide extra bounce and swing to the ball.
Some key facts about Saurabh Dubey:
- Formerly a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad
- Yet to make a debut in the Indian Premier League
- Played for Rahul Dravid-led Indian side in the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup
Has domestic cricket experience under his belt, having represented Vidarbha in competitions such as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy Former selector Subroto Banerjee praised Saurabh, saying, “He is a smart pick by Kolkata, a fast bowler with a lot of bounce and swing.”
KKR Yet to Finalize Replacement for Harshit Rana
Even though the replacement for Akash Deep from KKR has been confirmed, the Kolkata side is yet to make a decision regarding a replacement for Harshit Rana, who is also not available this season.
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According to sources, the Kolkata side is reportedly having a hard time finding a suitable Indian replacement, particularly because of Rana’s experience playing for India.
Dubey’s Auction Journey and Eligibility
At the IPL 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi Saurabh Dubey went as an unsold player with a base price set at 30 lakhs (INR). He was subsequently able to be considered a replacement player for KKR as he was added to the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP).
IPL 2026 Schedule Update by BCCI
In another note, the BCCI confirmed that they would be releasing the rest of the IPL 2026 schedule within the next 3-4 days.
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Important details:
- The match fixtures for the first 20 games (up until April 12) are already known
- The remaining 54 matches remain to be scheduled,
- This has been a delay caused by state elections in various regions (Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu)
- IPL 2026 will start on March 28 as originally scheduled.
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