Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 24 (ANI): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) roped in pacer Saurabh Dubey as a replacement for injured Akash Deep, while Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) announced England's David Payne as a replacement for Jack Edwards ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

A statement from the IPL announced, 'Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have picked Saurabh Dubey and David Payne, respectively as player replacements for the 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 Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Medical Team at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru for further management of his injury.

Akash Deep's omission is a huge blow to KKR, which released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman last year on the BCCI's instructions in light of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. They roped in Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani as his replacement after a brilliant T20 WC which saw him take 13 wickets in six matches. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana, bought for Rs 18 crores last year, is yet to join the KKR camp as he is facing an injury as well. Indian pacer Harshit Rana, who missed the T20WC, is also staring at a likelihood of missing the entire IPL season.

Saurabh, a left-arm pacer, will replace Akash at KKR. He will join KKR for Rs 30 Lakh. He has gone wicketless in three T20s played throughout his career.

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 Rs 1.5 Crore.

Edwards was the second-highest wicket-taker in the Big Bash League (BBL) last year with 19 scalps in 13 games at an average of 18.47, including a fifer and also scored 133 runs in 10 innings at an average of 22.16, striking at above 168 with a best score of 46*. (ANI)