- By Namrata Vijay
- Thu, 14 May 2026 12:03 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
RCB vs KKR IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders handed an IPL debut to Vidharbha's fast bowler Sourabh Dubey during their crucial match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as Varun Chakravarthy was sidelined with a niggle. The toss was postponed by an hour due to a damp outfield following rain in Raipur, but no overs were deducted.
The covers were removed before the match began, but much of the outfield remained covered while the umpires conducted repeated inspections.
After play commenced, RCB captain Rajat Patidar elected to bowl first, capitalizing on bowler-friendly conditions that earlier troubled batters facing Suryakumar Yadav's team on this ground.
ALSO READ: IPL 2026: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Matches Yuzvendra Chahal’s Record For Most Wickets Against KKR
Varun Chakravarthy's absence stood out for the Kolkata franchise. The star spinner has been KKR's most effective bowler this year, but missed the crucial match due to a foot injury sustained in their encounter against Axar Patel's side. Arun Chakarvarthy misses out, with a niggle. Saurabh Dubey comes in,” KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane was heard as saying at the toss.
Who is Saurabh Dubey?
HailiSaurabh Dubey, from Vidharbha, is a left-arm medium-fast bowler. He is recognized for generating steep bounce and brilliantly swinging the new ball. First rose to prominence during the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, leading Men in Blue in wickets and gaining recognition in domestic cricket.
He has represented Vidharbha in eight List A matches, taking 16 wickets, but has had very few opportunities at the top level. He has played just 11 senior matches and hasn't played competitive cricket in the shortest format after October 2023.
ALSO READ: RCB vs KKR: Virat Kohli Achieves Massive IPL Feat, Overtakes MS Dhoni And Rohit Sharma
Despite the long hiatus, Dubey excelled in the Vidarbha Premier T20 League in 2025 with Orange Tigers, performances that earned his IPL return.
His IDubey's IPL journey has been turbulent. The Hyderabad franchise signed him for IPL 2022, but an injury ruled him out; later, he served as a net bowler for the Mumbai Indians, still pursuing another chance. The Kolkata franchise acquired Dubey to replace the injured Akash Deep. Several domestic pacers, including Navdeep Saini, KM Asif, Simarjeet Singh, Akash Madhwal, and Sandeep Warrier, were evaluated before Dubey was finalized.
Akash Deep withdrew from the current season due to a lower back injury, and Harshit Rana sustained a knee injury, prompting the Kolkata franchise to reinforce its fast-bowling unit.
DuDubDubey is now included in the pace attack featuring Matheesha Pathirana, Blessing Muzarabani, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Umran Mallik, and Cameron Green. Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar's side adjusted its XI with Jacob Duffy replacing Suyash Sharma, and Romario Shepherd replaced by Venkatesh Iyer. Padikkal was listed as an Impact player.