Who is KKR's new recruit Saurabh Dubey? Details here
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed Vidarbha's Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for Akash Deep in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Akash was ruled out of the tournament after failing to recover from a lower-back stress injury in time. The report by Cricbuzz further states that while Dubey has been signed as a replacement, KKR is yet to make an official announcement regarding the same. Here we decode Dubey's profile.
Player profile
Who is Saurabh Dubey?
Saurabh Dubey, a left-arm medium-fast bowler, represents Vidarbha in domestic cricket. He has played eight List A matches and three T20s so far. While Dubey owns 16 wickets in the 50-over format, he is yet to register a scalp in T20s (ER: 12.10). The 28-year-old was also part of India's squad for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh. Notably, Dubey entered the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a base price of ₹30 lakh but went unsold.
Career highlights
Has Dubey played an IPL game before?
On his List A debut against Nepal, Dubey impressed with figures of 4/26 in India's seven-wicket win. He was named Player of the Match for his performance. The left-arm pacer had previously been part of Sunrisers Hyderabad after being picked up for ₹20 lakh in the IPL 2022 auction, but did not get a game and is yet to make his IPL debut.
Information
Dubey offers variety
The recruitment of Dubey has added variety to the KKR bowling attack. He is the only left-arm pacer in the squad, which makes him a valuable asset. If given the new ball, he can test the top order of teams on swing-friendly conditions.