KKR rope in Saurabh Dubey, SRH sign David Payne as injury replacements for Akash Deep and Jack Edwards

KKR adds left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey to their squad, filling the gap left by Akash Deep's injury and aiming for a balanced bowling attack in IPL 2026.

Kolkata Knight Riders have signed left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for Akash Deep ahead of IPL 2026, moving quickly to address a growing seam-bowling shortage before the start of their campaign as confirmed by the latest IPL media release.

Akash Deep claimed a 10-wicket haul against England at Edgbaston. (AP)

The development is significant not merely because Akash Deep has been ruled out, but because it comes at a time when KKR’s Indian pace resources have already been stretched. With Harshit Rana also unavailable for the season and uncertainty around the availability of overseas fast bowlers, the franchise has been forced to look deeper into the domestic pool. In that context, Dubey’s arrival is less a routine squad adjustment and more a practical attempt to restore balance to the bowling attack before the tournament gathers pace.

Dubey, a 28-year-old left-arm fast-medium bowler from Vidarbha, is yet to make his IPL debut. He had earlier been part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad set-up but did not break through at the top level. This time, however, he joins KKR with a clearer opening, especially given the team’s need for an Indian quick who offers variation in angle and style.

Why KKR have turned to Saurabh Dubey

What makes the move interesting is that KKR have not merely added cover; they have brought in a bowler who has long drawn attention within domestic circles. Subroto Banerjee, who has closely followed Dubey both as a national selector and in Nagpur, strongly backed the decision.

“He is a very talented left-arm fast bowler. I remember him touring Bangladesh under Rahul Dravid as part of the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup squad. He gets extra bounce off the wicket and can swing the ball both ways. It's a good call by the Knight Riders management,” Banerjee said.

That assessment gives the signing added weight. Left-arm seamers remain a valuable asset in T20 cricket because they change angles, create different match-up possibilities and can disrupt batting rhythms in a way right-arm-heavy attacks often cannot. Banerjee’s point about bounce and movement is especially relevant because those are qualities KKR would hope can make Dubey more than just a temporary injury replacement.

Dubey had gone unsold at the Abu Dhabi mini-auction last December, but remained available in the Registered Available Player Pool at a base price of INR 30 lakh, making him eligible to be drafted in as a replacement. He has already linked up with the KKR camp in Kolkata. He last played for Vidarbha in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after featuring in four Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in 2020-21.

For KKR, the timing of the move matters as much as the name itself. The franchise opens its IPL 2026 campaign against the Mumbai Indians on March 29, and with injuries already forcing changes, Dubey now gets an unexpected chance to step into a squad that suddenly needs him.

SRH rope in David Payne for Jack Edwards

The IPL release also stated that SRH have brought in David Payne as a replacement for Jack Edwards. Payne joins the 2016 champions for INR 1.5 crore.

While this might not be a direct like-for-like replacement, Payne certainly helps SRH boost their bowling attack. A left-arm fast-medium bowler, Payne can be useful for the team, especially in the initial stages when SRH will miss the services of Pat Cummins.

IPL official statement

IPL MEDIA ADVISORY

March 24, 2026

KKR, SRH pick player replacements for TATA IPL 2026

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have picked Saurabh Dubey and David Payne respectively as player replacements for TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

Akash Deep – a right-arm pacer, who has played 10 Tests for India, scalping 28 wickets – has been ruled out of the season due to a lumbar stress injury. He will be under the care of the BCCI Medical Team at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru for further management of his injury.

Saurabh, a left-arm pacer, will replace Akash at KKR. He will join KKR for INR 30 Lakh.

Meanwhile, Payne is an injury replacement for Jack Edwards at SRH. Payne has played one ODI for England, in addition to 233 T20s, scalping 304 wickets from the same. He will join SRH for INR 1.5 Crore.

IPL