India A have been boosted with the inclusion of all-rounder Anukul Roy for an upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka, with Harsh Dubey stepping into a maiden senior India role ahead of the home matches against Afghanistan. The change was confirmed by the BCCI on Thursday, with the KKR and Jharkhand player drafted into the India A group as part of the next phase of the national pathway.
Key takeaways
- Anukul Roy has been added to the India A squad for the Sri Lanka tri-series, replacing Harsh Dubey.
- Harsh Dubey has earned his first senior India call-up for the home assignment versus Afghanistan across Test and ODI formats.
- The India A tri-series in Dambulla runs from June 9 to June 21, 2026, and includes Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A.
- India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan is scheduled for New Chandigarh from June 6 to June 10, with Shubman Gill named captain and KL Rahul as vice-captain.
- In IPL 2026, Roy has featured in 13 games for KKR and has taken eight wickets, with a top unbeaten 29 against Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens.
Roy drafted into India A as Dubey steps up
The BCCI announced that Anukul Roy will join the India A team for the tri-series in Sri Lanka, with the 2026 season performance of the Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder playing a part in the call-up. Roy comes into the squad as Harsh Dubey moves from the India A setup to the senior ranks following his maiden selection.
In its statement, the board stated that the Men’s Selection Committee has included Roy in the India A squad for the tournament in Sri Lanka. The update also clarified that Roy is replacing Dubey, who has received his first invitation to India’s Test and ODI squads for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan.
Tri-series details and India A squad list
The tri-series will include India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, with matches to be staged in Dambulla. The competition is set to take place between June 9 and June 21, 2026.
Roy’s opportunity arrives after he has made a steady impact for KKR during IPL 2026. He has appeared in 13 matches and has claimed eight wickets as the franchise pushed for the playoffs. Although his batting chances have been comparatively fewer, one innings has stood out: an unbeaten 29 against Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens, which has been his most significant batting contribution so far this season.
With Dubey’s promotion, India A’s composition shifts at a key moment in the schedule. Dubey’s rise reflects a strong run of performances across domestic cricket and India A matches, particularly as a left-arm spinner who contributes as an all-rounder.
Dubey’s elevation also forms part of a broader group selection for the Afghanistan tour. He is one of three uncapped players chosen for India’s squads for the Afghanistan series, alongside left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and Punjab pace bowler Gurnoor Brar.
India’s Test team for the one-off match against Afghanistan—scheduled in New Chandigarh from June 6 to June 10—was announced earlier in the week. Shubman Gill was named captain, while KL Rahul was appointed vice-captain, taking over the role from Rishabh Pant.
Updated India A squad for Sri Lanka tri-series: Tilak Varma (Captain), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (Vice-Captain), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Kumar Kushagra (WK), Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan, Anukul Roy.
