In IPL 2026, just weeks into the tournament, Ambati Rayudu had already pointed to Anukul Roy as a potential “season story” for Kolkata Knight Riders. On Friday, against Delhi Capitals, Roy delivered a performance that made that prediction feel very real—though Finn Allen still stole plenty of the early attention.
Roy was tasked with opening spells in DC’s innings, bowling the first and third overs and conceding only 18 runs in that stretch. The damage came later as well: his two wickets—Pathum Nissanka and Tristan Stubbs—arrived in the 11th over, and he ultimately finished with figures of 2 for 31 from four overs. Fielding also played a major part in KKR’s control, with Roy producing a brilliant effort at deep midwicket to dismiss Axar Patel in the 19th over.
One reason Roy’s form has climbed so quickly could be the steadiness he has had in KKR’s plans. He has been in the XI for every match so far, with only seven players managing to feature in all ten games across the season.
Why Roy’s role has grown
Deep Dasgupta highlighted how Roy’s season has built on confidence and a defined skill-set. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, Dasgupta said Roy has shown quality for a long time, and that this year—particularly in domestic cricket—has strengthened that belief. He added that Roy’s clarity of role matters as well, noting that he is often used in the powerplay, typically delivering at least an over or two early, while also offering batting ability as a “decent” option.
Dasgupta also pointed to Roy’s overall value beyond just one match. He acknowledged that Roy was slightly “off the mark” at points earlier in the season, but stressed that he is generally a top-class fielder. In Dasgupta’s view, the confidence, role clarity, and consistent opportunities have combined to produce the current impact.
Domestic form across 2025-26
The domestic performances Dasgupta referenced spanned all three major formats in 2025-26. In the Ranji Trophy, it was Roy the bowler who stood out, taking 29 wickets at an average of 23.51, the highest wicket tally for Jharkhand. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Roy contributed with the bat, scoring 245 runs at an average of 49.00, though he did not take wickets there. The most two-way impact came at the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where Jharkhand won the title: Roy struck 303 runs at a strike rate of 160.31 and also claimed 18 wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 7.41.
After the match, Roy said he wanted to focus on positives and make sure his batting and bowling stay at a high level. He framed the motivation in two directions—aiming higher honours with India, and also building a consistent reputation in the IPL.
The momentum is building
Roy’s recent rise is beginning to show up in more than one department. KKR’s campaign has already featured big contributions from him with the bat, including a 29-run effort off 16 balls that helped push the side beyond Rajasthan Royals. Against DC, the wickets and economy followed through: Roy has now taken eight wickets in 20.1 overs in IPL 2026, with an economy rate of 8.87.
Mitchell McClenaghan also backed Roy’s preparedness and longevity. He said Roy has “played enough” and has been in squads regularly, joining Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2018, then being part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning group, and later moving to KKR where he has been since IPL 2022. McClenaghan argued that players who can do specific jobs often get overlooked, and praised Roy as a proven domestic performer who can step in and deliver when the team needs him for a short run.
McClenaghan added that it is important for opportunities to reach players like Anukul Roy, because otherwise they can be pushed aside in favour of the next “flashy toy.”
KKR’s current environment also reflects a broader advantage of having an allrounder group even in the impact-player era. Alongside Roy, the squad also has Cameron Green and Sunil Narine, giving KKR multiple ways to rotate overs and maintain pressure.
Green explained this in the press conference after KKR’s win on Friday. He said he is ready to bowl four overs, but that having Roy (referred to as “Anu”)—who has been exceptional while bowling one or two—means the bowling load gets shared. Green said that having allrounders allows KKR to potentially get through the middle overs with flexibility, while still enabling him to bowl in the powerplay and potentially at the death. He concluded by saying the team effectively has six options it can turn to, and that he and Roy, as allrounders, help each other out to complete their four-over quota.
