Big blow to Kolkata Knight Riders, Akash Deep out of IPL 2026

New Delhi: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have suffered a significant blow ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Team’s fast bowler Akash Deep will no longer be able to participate in this tournament due to injury. In his absence, the franchise has decided to include left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Dubey in their squad.

Saurabh Dubey’s selection and his career

After the injury to Akash Deep, KKR management has selected Saurabh Dubey as his replacement. Dubey, 28, plays domestic cricket for Vidarbha and has previously been a part of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Although, till now he has not got any opportunity to play in IPL, but this new opportunity can prove to be an important milestone for him.

Reaction of former cricketer Subroto Banerjee

Former cricketer Subroto Banerjee has commented positively on the selection of Saurabh Dubey. He said that Dubey is a talented bowler who has the ability to swing the ball in both directions. According to Banerjee, he has watched Dubey’s game closely and believes that this decision of KKR can prove beneficial for the team.

Harshit Rana’s place is still vacant

Apart from this, KKR’s other fast bowler Harshit Rana is also out of this season due to injury. However, his replacement has not been announced yet. KKR management says that they are looking for a suitable alternative and a decision will be taken soon.

Saurabh Dubey remains unsold in mini auction

It is worth noting that Saurabh Dubey remained unsold in the mini auction held in Abu Dhabi last year. His base price was Rs 30 lakh and he was part of the ‘Registered Available Player Pool’. As per IPL rules, any player is required to be in this list to be included as a replacement. Dubey has featured in limited-overs domestic matches so far, but is awaiting his IPL debut, which could make this opportunity extremely important for his career.