Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya

Role: Bowler
DOB: 28 February 1998
IPL Team (2026): Unsold
Base Price: ₹50 Lakh (last known)

The Story of Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya’s journey to the IPL is a testament to resilience and raw talent, a true rags-to-riches story that captured the hearts of cricket fans. Hailing from Vartej, a small village in Saurashtra, Gujarat, Sakariya faced immense financial hardship and personal tragedy, including the devastating loss of his younger brother just weeks before his IPL debut. Despite these profound challenges, his left-arm pace and deceptive variations shone through in domestic cricket, particularly in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where his ability to swing the new ball and deliver crucial death overs caught the eye of IPL scouts.

His breakthrough moment arrived in the 2021 IPL auction, where Rajasthan Royals secured his services for ₹1.2 Crore, a life-changing sum for his family. Sakariya wasted no time making an impact, delivering a memorable debut against Punjab Kings where he picked up 3 wickets for 31 runs, including the prized scalp of KL Rahul. His unique action, coupled with an arsenal of cutters and slower balls, made him an instant fan favourite and a vital cog in the Royals’ bowling attack, showcasing maturity beyond his years.

Sakariya’s playing style is characterized by his natural left-arm angle, which creates difficult angles for right-handed batsmen, and his intelligent use of the crease. He’s not express pace, but his ability to bowl accurate lengths and mix up his deliveries, especially the back-of-the-hand slower ball and the off-cutter, makes him a tricky customer. He’s often deployed in the powerplay to exploit early swing and later in the innings to break partnerships or contain runs, demonstrating versatility that few young bowlers possess.

Beyond the statistics, Sakariya’s story is one of immense character. His calm demeanor under pressure, even in high-stakes IPL encounters, speaks volumes about his mental fortitude. He quickly adapted to the demands of franchise cricket, learning from seasoned international stars and proving that talent, when combined with an unwavering spirit, can overcome any obstacle.

IPL Journey: Team by Team

Chetan Sakariya’s IPL journey began with a dream debut and has seen him don the jerseys of two prominent franchises.

• Rajasthan Royals (2021): His IPL career took off with the Royals, who acquired him for ₹1.2 Crore in the 2021 auction. This was his breakout season, where he played all 14 matches, picking up 14 wickets at an economy of 8.19. He quickly became a go-to bowler for Sanju Samson, impressing with his ability to bowl in both the powerplay and death overs. His performances were a major talking point of the season, marking him as one of the finds of the tournament.
• Delhi Capitals (2022-2023): Following his impressive debut season, Sakariya entered the mega-auction in 2022 as a hot commodity. Delhi Capitals secured his services with a significant bid of ₹4.2 Crore. However, his opportunities were limited with the Capitals due to the strong competition for pace bowling slots. In 2022, he featured in just 3 matches, taking 3 wickets. The 2023 season saw him play only 2 games, failing to pick up a wicket, as he struggled to find a consistent spot in the playing XI.

After being released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2024 auction, Chetan Sakariya went unsold with a base price of ₹50 Lakh. This trend continued into the 2025 and 2026 auctions, indicating a period where he is working hard to regain his form and find a new IPL home.

What Makes Them Special: Betting Perspective

For bettors, Chetan Sakariya presents an interesting, albeit currently speculative, profile. His left-arm angle and variations offer unique advantages, but consistency has been a challenge since his debut season.

• Strengths:
  • Left-Arm Angle: Naturally creates discomfort for right-handed batsmen, often leading to edges or LBW opportunities.
  • Deceptive Variations: His cutters and slower balls are well-disguised and can be very effective, especially on pitches that offer some grip.
  • Powerplay Wicket-Taker: In his prime, he showed an ability to pick up crucial wickets with the new ball, making him a candidate for “first wicket-taker” bets.
• Weaknesses:
  • Pace Deficiency: Lacks genuine express pace, which can make him vulnerable on flat, true surfaces against power-hitters.
  • Death Over Consistency: While he has the variations, executing them perfectly under pressure in the death overs has sometimes been inconsistent, leading to higher economy rates.
  • Form & Opportunities: His recent lack of IPL game time means assessing current form is difficult, and betting on him requires a leap of faith unless he gets a consistent run.
• Conditions & Matchups:
  • Thrives In: Pitches with a slight seam movement or those that grip and assist slower balls. Larger grounds where batsmen are forced to hit aerial shots can also be beneficial.
  • Bet On Him When: He’s bowling against a top-heavy right-handed batting lineup, especially early in the innings. Consider “over/under runs conceded” bets when the pitch offers something for the bowlers.
  • Bet Against Him When: Playing on absolute belters or small grounds where boundaries are easy to come by. Also, if he’s bowling extensively in the death overs against established power-hitters.
• Consistency Metrics: His 2021 season showed good consistency, but 2022 and 2023 were marred by limited opportunities. For future consideration, look for signs of consistent domestic performance and a clear role within an IPL team before placing significant bets.

Key Records & Milestones

• IPL Debut Sensation: Announced his arrival in the IPL with a brilliant 3/31 against Punjab Kings on debut in IPL 2021, including the key wicket of KL Rahul.
• Most Wickets for RR Debutant (2021): His 14 wickets in IPL 2021 made him one of the most impactful debutant bowlers for Rajasthan Royals in recent memory.
• Highest Auction Price: Secured a significant ₹4.2 Crore bid from Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction, a testament to his potential after his breakout season.
• Best Bowling Figures: His career-best IPL bowling figures stand at 3 wickets for 31 runs, achieved on his debut against Punjab Kings in 2021.

IPL Season Highlights

Chetan Sakariya’s IPL career has been highlighted by his sensational debut season, which truly put him on the map.

IPL 2021 (Rajasthan Royals): This was undoubtedly Sakariya’s standout season. Playing all 14 matches for the Royals, he picked up 14 wickets at an economy of 8.19. His debut match against Punjab Kings was a memorable one, where he claimed 3/31, showcasing his ability to take crucial wickets with both the new and old ball. He followed this up with impressive spells throughout the tournament, including a 3/36 against Chennai Super Kings, where he dismissed Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, and MS Dhoni, demonstrating his big-match temperament. His variations and control were key to the Royals’ bowling attack, making him one of the most talked-about uncapped players of the season.

IPL 2022 (Delhi Capitals): While not as prolific as his debut season, Sakariya still showed glimpses of his talent in the limited opportunities he received. In his first match for Delhi Capitals against Kolkata Knight Riders, he picked up 1 wicket for 17 runs in his 3 overs. Later in the season, against Punjab Kings, he delivered a crucial spell of 2/23, helping restrict the opposition. Despite playing only 3 matches, his economy rate of 7.70 was respectable, indicating his potential to be impactful when given a consistent run.