KKR Player Gets India Call Up In Midst Of IPL 2026

KKR player called up for India team [Source: AFP]

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Anukul Roy has received a surprise call-up to India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. The 27-year-old will be replacing Harsh Dubey, who has been selected in India’s Test and ODI squad for the home series against Afghanistan.

Anukul recently turned up for the Jharkhand cricket team in India’s 2025-26 domestic home season. The cricketer is currently serving the KKR franchise in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.

Anukul Roy replaces Harsh Dubey in India A squad

Earlier this month, the BCCI men’s selection committee named India A squad for the upcoming tri-nation series in Sri Lanka. Tilak Varma was named captain of the side, which also included the likes of IPL and fellow domestic stars Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Riyan Parag, Prabhsimran Singh, Anshul Kamboj and Harsh Dubey among others.

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However, Harsh Dubey has also been selected in India’s Test and ODI squad for the series against Afghanistan. Notably, India’s home series will largely coincide with the tri-series in Sri Lanka, thus putting Dubey’s availability in doubt.

On Thursday, May 21, the selection committee added Anukul Roy to the add as a replacement for Harsh Dubey.

Anukul Roy rewarded for domestic, IPL heroics

Jharkhand all-rounder Anukul Roy has been rewarded with a spot in India A squad for his domestic and IPL heroics. In the ongoing IPL 2026 season itself, the left-arm spinner has nabbed eight wickets, which included a match-winning spell against the Delhi Capitals earlier this month.

The 27-year-old also recently harvested 29 wickets in just seven matches for Jharkhand in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, doing so at an impressive bowling average of 23.51. With the bat, the cricketer plundered 245 runs in just six innings for his side at an average of 49 and with a staggering strike rate of 122.50 at the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Overall, Roy has played 46 first-class matches, 61 List A games and 83 T20s in his competitive career so far.

India A to tour Sri Lanka in June

The India A team is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for the impending tri-series in early June, i.e., shortly after the conclusion of the ongoing IPL 2026 season. The series will feature seven matches, including the final, and all matches will be hosted by the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla between June 9 and June 19.

Afghanistan A will serve as the third team of the tri-series. The series will commence with a match between India A and hosts Sri Lanka A.

With Tilak Varma leading the side, here is a look at the entire updated India A squad for the tri-series.

India A squad for Sri Lanka tri-series:

Tilak Varma (c), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (vc), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan and Anukul Roy.

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