The BCCI announced on Tuesday that left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey will replace Akash Deep in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the upcoming IPL 2026. Akash had to withdraw from the season due to a lumbar stress injury and will be heading to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for further treatment. He was initially picked up by KKR for Rs. 1 crore in the mini-auction held in December 2025.
In another development, David Payne will be stepping in to replace Jack Edwards in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad. Edwards had to pull out of the tournament due to a foot injury. SRH had acquired Edwards for Rs. 3 crore in the auction. Payne, who has played one ODI for England and has taken 304 wickets in 233 T20 matches, will join SRH for Rs. 1.5 crore.
Both Dubey and Payne will bring their skills and experience to their respective teams as they gear up for the IPL 2026 season. The changes in the squads were necessary due to the unfortunate injuries that Akash Deep and Jack Edwards suffered. The new additions will have the opportunity to make a significant impact and contribute to their teams’ success in the upcoming tournament.
The news was published on March 24, 2026, marking an important update in the preparations for the IPL 2026 season.
Follow Franchise Cricket for more IPL news.
