The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially added Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spin-bowling all-rounder Anukul Roy to the India A squad. He serves as a like-for-like replacement for Harsh Dubey, who vacated his spot after earning his maiden call-up to the senior Indian national team for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan. This is because the senior team's bilateral home assignment against Afghanistan heavily overlaps with the India A tour, Dubey was pulled from the developmental squad. This domino effect has created crucial career breakthroughs for both players. The Vidarbha all-rounder was rewarded for a prolific domestic run (including 133 first-class wickets) and a rapid ascent through the ranks.  

He joins the senior squad as one of three uncapped players named for the multi-format series. Roy earned his spot on the plane following consistent domestic and IPL displays. He has been a vital utility player for KKR, picking up 8 wickets in 13 matches while also providing handy lower-order cameos. Domestically, his stellar run includes picking up 29 wickets in the Ranji Trophy and maintaining an average of 49 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The BCCI confirmed that the developmental squad will travel to Dambulla, Sri Lanka for an ODI Tri-Series featuring India A, Sri Lanka A, and Afghanistan A. The tournament is scheduled to run from June 9 to June 21, 2026.

The updated 15-member India A squad for the Dambulla Tri-Series includes: Tilak Varma (Captain), Riyan Parag (Vice-Captain), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Anukul Roy, Prabhsimran Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, and Arshad Khan.

 

Anukul Roy’s dream run at IPL 2026 tournament

Anukul Roy’s dream run in the IPL 2026 tournament has been defined by his transformation from a fringe squad member into a permanent, highly dependable all-round asset for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Backed heavily by the team management, Roy stepped up as a tactical linchpin during KKR's late-season playoff push, which ultimately earned him a call-up to the India A squad. Playing as KKR’s third spinner alongside veterans Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, Roy has bagged 8 wickets across 13 matches. He maintained a tight grip on opposing teams, bowling 21.1 overs across the tournament with crucial powerplay responsibilities.

Prior to 2026, Roy spent multiple seasons confined to the bench or used strictly as a substitute fielder for both Mumbai Indians and KKR. However, coming off a spectacular domestic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign where he led Jharkhand to a title run with 303 runs, KKR finally handed him a permanent starting spot. Commentators like Deep Dasgupta and Mitchell McClenaghan heavily praised his campaign, citing that his newfound "clarity and confidence" made him one of the ultimate domestic success stories of IPL 2026.